Ways To Get Out Of Bed When You Are Depressed

Monday, February 10, 2020, 16:44

Mental health disorders affects your emotional well-being as well as your physical well-being. Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders with more than 300 million people in the world are battling depression every day. And, India is the most depressed country in the world [1].

Depression can impact your life in ways that it can change you as a person, and never for the better. The deliberating mental and physical pain caused by depression can be tough to be put into words, leaving depressed people to figure it out - all by themselves.

Depression engulfs you as a whole, leaving only an empty shell of whom you used to be. The stigma surrounding mental health disorders are slowly yet definitely coming down, but the number of depressed people around the globe is rampantly increasing [2].

Living with depression is hard. Even the simplest of tasks can seem challenging such as, getting out of bed in the morning or getting ready for school or work. In the current article, we will look at some ways through which you can help yourself overcome and fight the hopelessness, fatigue and dreaded feeling that pops up every morning.

1. Keep An Alarm

Set not one but multiple alarms and Do Not hit the SNOOZE button. If you have kept the morning alarm in your phone, keep them away from your direct reach so that you'll have to get up anyway.

2. There's No Rush – Start Slow

Don't push yourself hard. The first thing you can do is to try and sit up on the bed. This is the most difficult part - the idea of getting up every morning to start your day. Health experts and therapists point out that the act of sitting up in your bed can help you get started, as it (sitting up) tricks your brain into thinking that you are ready to begin your day [3].

3. Plan Your Breakfast

Once you are up, start thinking about your breakfast and the fresh cup of coffee or tea (which can make it all a little less dreadful). Thinking about food has been asserted to be a great motivation [4]. This may not work the same every time, but tell yourself that the need to eat food can help you get out of the bed in the morning.

Note: If you are on medication, it is a must to eat breakfast.

4. Develop A Routine

Try developing a routine to motivate you to get up from the bed. Such as using the time to check your emails, update yourself with the daily news, or watch something to perk up your mood. Along with this, make sure that you are not staying on your phone all morning in bed (set an alarm).

Note: Creating a routine is not an easy task, so give yourself time to develop one and stick to it.

5. Try Light Therapy

Bright light therapy also called white light therapy is often recommended for people with the major depressive disorder [5]. During light therapy, you sit near a device called a light therapy box, which The box gives off bright light that mimics natural outdoor light.

Studies have said that light therapy may have the potential to help people with depression as it has antidepressant-like qualities [6].

6. Have A Buddy

Being accountable to someone every morning can help give you the push to get up from bed every morning. That is, develop arrangements such as having a partner to walk, run, or exercise first thing in the morning, carpool to work, talk to someone on the way to work etc. This can help your brain to suppress the thoughts of loneliness and push you to get up [7].

7. Play Some Music

Studies have supported the claim that music can help improve a person's mood [8]. It has been noted that how a person listens to music in everyday life affects the feelings that they associate with it [9]. That is, if you primarily use music for meditation, music can help them you relaxed and calm. In the same line, if one uses music for exercise, it can help them get energised.

8. DO NOT Stress

Keep this in mind - do not stress about the daily tasks. Thinking about your daily to-do-list can make it difficult for you to get out of bed because a person suffering from depression can feel overwhelmed and may develop panic attacks [10]. With time, you can get everything done - don't stress over it.

9. Stay Hydrated

Before going to bed, drink water and keep yourself hydrated. Waking up dehydrated can trigger physical and mental limitations in the mind of an individual and can further worsen the condition and causes you to stay back in the comfort of your bed [11][12].

On A Final Note...

You may feel like your life is ending, but be aware that there is help out there for you. Depression can make it difficult for you to live your life like the way the people around you live. But, proper care and help can aid in bringing one out of the web of hopelessness. Know that you are not alone.