Posts Tagged ‘sleep’

I’m reading this little book I got at the library that offers 60 suggestions to get out of depression (see the I am reading on the side of the page for the book). I wasn’t sure I was even going to finish the book because it starts by explaining how most of us are not actually suffering from depression but are simply a little depressed. I hate that. There is a big difference between feeling awful because your boyfriend left you and mopping around for a week and feeling actually depressed. In the first case, you feel miserable but improve each day. In the second case, you only get worse without actual help.

I decided to give the book a chance because it actually gave suggestions instead of the eternal what is depression that other books offered. Some of the suggestions are actually not bad, but some are just ridiculous. I wonder if I’m just too negative and not out of this depressive mood enough yet to see these things as solutions. Maybe I’m just not open-minded. Here are some of the solutions I’ve read so far… with some comments from my part of course… you tell me. Actual solutions or just ridiculous advice?

Solution #2: Figuring out whether it’s depression or just feeling blue.

• That one actually makes sense. But I believe that once you have decided to actually see a doctor and tell them how depressed you feel. Once you have cried in front of them and told them you actually considered committing suicide to get away from all the pain… the answer is pretty clear.

Solution #4: You’re not perfect and that’s a good thing.

• That one I really liked. I don’t know about other people but I think that people who get depressed put themselves under so much pressure to be perfect, to be the image or the person that they believe other people expect that at one point they crash. What this book said was that the myth of perfection is dangerous. It is much better to learn to accept our faults, accept our limits, and accept that things may go wrong from time to time. It also said that people who are too perfect annoy other people! I thought that was very funny! People who are too perfect get on people’s nerves… I tend to agree with that!

Solution #5: Focus on your positive achievements.

• That one is a good one but tough to actually accomplish when you are depressed. The thoughts in your hear are rarely motivational. You finished the laundry, it’s a good thing is not what will come to mind when you go to bed at night but rather, all the stuff that did not get done. I’m working really hard on that solution. I agree with it… it’s just not easy to actually do it!

Solution #8: Express your emotions

• Not a lot to say on that one. My emotions are very expressed right now… a little too much and too scattered. I need to control my emotions rather than express them…

Solution #9: Learn to say no

• Forget that one. I’m not able to say no to anyone without feeling so guilty… It’s a good solution… they just don’t say anywhere in the book how to actually apply that. I can say the word. I know it consists of only one syllable and two tiny little letters. It’s easy to form the words… it just never seems to come out when I’m faced with family or relationship issues… and don’t even get me started about work.

Solution #12: Get away from toxic people

• But what exactly is a toxic person. Anyone who does not make my life happier is out? What if today, my friend gets on my nerves… out, out, out? And what about the ex you have to deal with because of the kids? How do people kick this person out? And what about family members? Do you just stay in your corner and stay by yourself?

Solution #13: Make peace with your sleep

• What the heck does that mean? Accept that sometimes we just can’t sleep and that it does not mean depression. I so disagree with that one. Not being able to sleep like I have makes it very difficult to apply any of the other solutions. Ok, just because you have not been able to sleep last night does not mean you have depression. But if it goes on for months… can you really ignore it and think this is how your sleep pattern is. When you wake up each morning and never feel rested, when you feel lightheaded during the day or sick to your stomach from fatigue… it think it makes it pretty darn hard not to feel bad.

Solution #14: Ladies, fix yourselves up

• That was the last one I read last night and I was just insulted. They mention that if we fix ourselves up and maybe buy a new shade lipstick we will feel better. Are they kidding! The last thing I need, first of all, is to spend money I don’t even have and generate more stress. And isn’t that so materialistic. Yeah, I admit, it feels good when I look good but does that make my depression go away???

That’s it for now! I’ll keep reading and will post the next interesting tips in my next entry!

Here is an article from a really neat website. I thought it made a lot of sense and figured I would share… maybe I should try and go to bed earlier… but it’s so tough… and I’m not a morning person…

I’ve written before about my resolution to Get more sleep, and I’m bringing it up again, because I’m truly convinced that this is one of the first aspects of life to tackle when you start a happiness project.

It’s easy to become accustomed to being sleep-deprived, but it’s not good for you. Many researchers argue that not getting enough sleep has broad health consequences, such as raising your risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and even obesity, but in addition to those, it has a profound effect on your happiness.

One study showed that a bad night’s sleep was one of the top two reasons for being in a bad mood at work (the other? Tight work deadlines). Another study suggested that getting one extra hour of sleep each night would do more for your daily happiness than getting a $60,000 raise.

But here’s another reason why I think sleep matters so much for happiness: exhaustion makes the mornings tougher.

Read more at: http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/10/a-fundamental-secret-to-happiness-get-enough-sleep.html