Depression is an illness of depletion. You’re worn down, hollowed out, devoid of enthusiasm or vitality. Your thinking is foggy, groggy, and slow. Then there’s that heavy-limbed, bone-weary, energy-zapping exhaustion called fatigue. When you add challenging life events, called stressors or triggers, it’s easy to feel as if you’ll fall to pieces like a house of cards.
However, focusing on your five senses can help lessen your depression. Research has shown that creating a soothing environment can help you lift depression by producing dopamine, serotonin, melatonin and oxytocin – feel-good neurochemistry that heals depression. Here are some ways to create a more balanced environment at home:
Sight: Look around your home to invite direct sun, color and clean lines into the space. The National Institute of Health reports that natural light improves mood and energy, so open the curtains and raise the blinds. If you can’t get the real thing, bright light therapy boxes can help. The science of using color to boost well-being, called chromotherapy, has been around for centuries and also is extremely helpful in healing depression. Take notice of the color palette of your living space. Is it bland? Washed out? If so, introduce color by scattering candles in varied hues (candles of different colors can brighten the room). You can also add towels, pillows and other decorative items around. Consider painting walls in hues of rich blues, earthy greens and soft purples. A study from Intelligent Buildings International shows that clean lines, open areas and uncluttered space promote relaxation, so try to keep your home tidy.
Smell: Ask yourself what kinds of scents make you feel happy. Could it be the aroma of warmly baked cookies? What about freshly cut grass? Smell is our most evocative sense because aromas take a direct route to the limbic brain, where emotional memories are processed. Collaborative research in 2008 with Johns Hopkins University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem shows that nostalgic scents boost mood. So, consider finding a potpourri, essential oil, candles or incense that move your soul. Set them strategically around your home to maximize their aroma. If you’re not a scent person, fear not. The journal Psychological Medicine reports that air filters and ionizers bump up moods too, besides creating a cleaner environment. And don’t forget the medicinal power of fresh air.
Taste: Eating healthy is very important when you have depression. So make sure you stock your kitchen with lean proteins like chicken and fish, ancient grains like quinoa and whole wheat, omega-3 rich foods like eggs and milk as well as vitamin rich fruits and veggies. A 2011 study in Psychological Science encourages treating yourself to comfort foods every now and again as they’ve been shown to improve mood. See if you can use your sense of taste to heighten flavor sensations. Sip an iced coffee, nurse a cup of warm tea or swirl a piece of candy in your mouth. Take delight and savor the experience.
Touch: Invite touch in as many ways as possible. Depression often prompts feelings of isolation, so invite hugs, kisses and affectionate touch with a loved one. Rest on a heating pad or a microwaveable pillow with lavender beads. Cuddle with your pet or a favorite cozy blanket. Go for soft and comfy when it comes to clothing. Warm and frothy an indulging shower or bath. A 2009 study in the journal Biological Psychiatry found that being touched and feeling textures reduces depression by lowering the stress hormone cortisoland by increasing the feel-good hormone oxytocin. Sound: Do a sound-check of your home. Is it quiet? If so, that’s great. Silence can bring solitude. If it’s too quiet, invite upbeat music or nature soundscapes. There’s also Brainwave Music Therapy, music that produces deep sounds that activate theta waves in your brain, which encourage deep relaxation. If an open window can bring the sounds of birds singing or children laughing as they play, go for it. Soft ambient sounds improve moods, according to the Handbook of Music and Emotion (Oxford University Press, 2011), so find what sounds move you.
Depression is a serious, but treatable illness. Remember to include holistic and spiritual remedies along with talk therapy and/or medication. It will really help boost your well-being.