Biohacking Depression – Part IV

In the previous three parts of this series, we’ve mostly covered the foods and supplements you can take for biohacking depression. It’s important to also realize what physical activities we are doing and not doing, and assessing what their impact can be on depression.

Work On Getting Better Sleep

It should be very clear that good sleep is essential for mental health and optimal functioning. A lack of sleep causes the buildup of neurological toxins, as well as harming your gut function, and increasing neuroinflammation. In general, it just leads to negative effects on every part of the brain, which makes depression more likely or severe.

It often can happen that people’s poor sleep habits cause them to have a depressed mood, while their suboptimal temperament can in turn create sleep issues. It can be a vicious cycle where both factors are at play, creating bad health results all around. It’s part of the reason that to treat depression, it’s important to do something that will also help your sleep patterns. There is evidence to suggest that addressing poor sleep should be the highest priority since issues pertaining to asleep can cause psychiatric disorders.

There are easy tips for better sleep, but for people who are already depressed, it may be necessary to use some a cognitive behavioral therapy approach. But it really is helpful to try to develop good sleeping habits since a bunch of these tips has assisted depressed people just as much as prescribed medications.

Some simple sleep hygiene tips include:

• Having a comfortable pillow and mattress
• Writing in a journal before going into bed
• Stopping to use technology (phones, laptops, etc.) and sources of artificial light during the night or at least an hour before going to bed
• Having a consistent sleep-wake schedule
• Ensuring the bedroom is well-ventilated, as well as cool and dark
• Avoiding large meals before bedtime
• Avoiding intense work-out sessions soon before going to bed
• Removing caffeine and alcohol from your diet
• Relaxing about an hour before bed
• Getting an exposure to sunlight in the morning

How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Insomnia (CBT-i) Can Improve Sleep

In some cases, those struggling with depression will need cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to get better sleep. This is often the case in those whose levels of anxiety increase when trying to fall asleep. Sometimes, general levels of anxiety make it near-impossible for good sleep to take place. Those with insomnia and depression may engage in repetitive thinking patterns or worries.

The most effective non-pharmaceutical treatment for insomnia is cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i). CBT involves limiting the bed for only certain activities, namely sleep and sex. This leads to more sleep efficiency.  Other ways to improve sleep is through mind relaxation practices, such as guided visualizations and progressive muscle relaxation. Research has shown that CBT-i reduces the negative thinking patterns that are linked with depression

Trying to work on depressing just to get better sleep isn’t the best idea. Aim to work on both issues so you can have a healthier mental state.

Get Moving

Similarly to how an unhealthy diet can add to the risk of depression, an inactive lifestyle can also increase that risk for the young and old. It’s not even specifically working out that causes the depression, but just not moving at all. Years ago, our ancestors happened to be moving throughout the day, but unfortunately, it’s not something most people today do every day.

Many studies have found that working out regularly improves mental health and lowers the chances of being depressed. It’s not just aerobic exercises that you need to do in order to reap the benefits. Anything from aerobic, anaerobic, or mind-body exercises like yoga can help. Though it is true that aerobic exercise looks to be slightly more beneficial in its effectiveness as an antidepressant.

When we exercise, our mood and mental functioning is boosted by dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin. It also plays a big part in the balance of our endocannabinoid system, which impacts our overall well-being, sleep, and general mood. Our lymphatic system is also improved when we exercise. Moreover, the connectivity of different regions of the brain like the hippocampus, corpus calossum, and prefrontal cortex, all of which are enhanced by exercise,

Taking a walk a few times a week is enough to get these benefits, but it’s recommended to engage in some sort of moderate exercise for 30 to 45 minutes a few times a week also. You can also pick something you enjoy that is a light form some of exercise, whether it’s swimming, riding your bike, or playing a sport like basketball or tennis.

The Role of Sunlight And Our Circadian Rhythm

Another hallmark of today’s modern lifestyle is not getting enough sunlight. Not only are people not getting sunlight by constantly being indoors, we are replacing this sunlight with artificial light that technology emits, which is the opposite of what we should be doing. Lack of sunlight and adding artificial light during the night is a huge disruptor of our circadian rhythm. Human nature normally has a 24-hour cycle of day and night, which has been completely affected by our modern habits. Messing with our circadian rhythm is a significant factor in depression, and studies show that is absolutely critical when it comes to the pathology of depression.

When our natural circadian rhythm is disrupted, one can expect to experience a lack of energy to “do” anything during the day. This then acts as a domino effect to results in restless sleep, then perpetuating the cycle to begin again the next day. Our modern lifestyle affects the mood regulation in our brain, as well as disturbing the melatonin and cortisol levels, which also play a big role in stress and mood.

Suffice it to say, a normal circadian rhythm is crucial in tackling depression. Having an exposure to sunlight as soon as you can after waking up, and try to have a range of at least 5 minutes, and ideally 30 minutes of being outside every morning. In afternoon hours, another 15 to 30 minutes will add to your serotonin levels.

At night, you’re going to want to make your environment as close to the natural world as possible. Ideally, this means staying off electronics (yes, even your phone). So if this isn’t possible, another option is to use blue-light blocking glasses and amber light bulbs.

All of these elements of improving sleep, developing a more active lifestyle, and optimizing the body’s circadian rhythm can all help in overcoming depression.