Relaxation also has a positive effect on your physical health. It is another way to combat the physical effects of depression, says Payne. For some people, relaxation techniques can even help prevent depression. But just like a proper diet and exercise, it takes time to see the results of regular meditation.
But with practice, meditation can help many people control their reactions to stress and anxiety, which often lead to depression, says Dr Payne. Other recent research suggests that meditation practices can improve depression symptoms if you continue to incorporate them into your life. In other words, an ongoing meditation practice may provide more benefits than a temporary fix. Even if you move your meditation outside, you may have more success with it.
Nature offers many health benefits, and the soothing sounds of the natural world can provide a great backdrop for meditation practice. Most studies examining the benefits of meditation look at its effects over a period of several weeks or even months. As with most other approaches to treating depression, you may need to stick with it for a while to really get anything out of it. If you suffer from depressive symptoms, you should see a therapist before trying alternative treatments.
Many therapists offer mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, so you can also incorporate the benefits of meditation into your treatment. However, if you incorporate meditation practices into your daily life, you may find it easier to combat unwanted thoughts and avoid getting caught up in the negative thought spirals that often worsen depression. Meditation doesn’t make all the symptoms of depression go away, but it does help you manage them. It changes the way your brain responds to stress and anxiety.
When you meditate, you can override the triggers that are stimulated by the prefrontal cortex and amygdala. This explains why your stress levels drop. Chronic stress is bad for your body and mind. It can increase your risk of health problems such as high blood pressure, stomach pain, headaches, anxiety and depression.
Using relaxation techniques can help you feel calm. These exercises can also help you manage stress and relieve the effects of stress on your body. In this relaxation technique, you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group. In a progressive muscle relaxation method, you start by tensing and relaxing the muscles in your toes and then gradually work your way up to your neck and head.
You can also start with the head and neck and work your way up to the toes. Tense your muscles for about five seconds and then relax for 30 seconds and repeat. Health professionals such as alternative practitioners, doctors and psychotherapists can teach you different relaxation techniques. For example, you can imagine a peaceful environment and then focus on controlled, relaxing breathing, slowing your heartbeat or feeling different physical sensations, such as relaxing each arm or leg separately.
Although this is rare, if you feel emotionally uncomfortable during relaxation techniques, you should stop the exercise and talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. Whether your stress is out of control or you have already managed it, you can benefit from learning relaxation techniques. In general, relaxation techniques involve focusing your attention on something calming and increasing your awareness of your body. To relax using visualisation, try to involve as many senses as possible, including smell, sight, hearing and touch.
If you are faced with numerous responsibilities and tasks or the demands of an illness, relaxation techniques may not be a priority in your life. Depression is often a stressful, frustrating and isolating experience, but mindfulness and meditation can help. Antidepressants and psychotherapy are the usual first-line treatment, but recent research suggests that a regular meditation practice can help by changing the brain’s response to stress and anxiety. Depression affects about 20 per cent of adults aged 65 and older, and regular depression can lead to a higher risk of heart disease and death from disease.
Medications such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and antidepressants try to combat sadness by stimulating neurotransmitters. Learning to stay present in the moment can help you spot the warning signs of a depressive episode early. The two parts of the brain intertwine to create an overwhelming cycle that can lead to depression. You will get the most benefit if you use relaxation techniques along with other positive coping methods, such as positive thinking, humour, problem solving, time management, physical activity, getting enough sleep and support from family and friends.
Meditation has been shown to change certain brain regions specifically associated with depression.
