Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center - (Page 15)
People
Who
Need
PeoPle
the
rtime
"It's unbelievable how many people who
are depressed have no breakfast," Schaub
says. After you've fasted all night, blood sugar
levels are low, and your body and brain need
food to function. Physiologically, eating breakfast helps to maintain your blood sugar levels.
Blood sugar levels that spike and crash can
wreak havoc on your mood.
2
sEt a routinE.
Going on vacation, having the kids at
home and changing your work schedule throw off your routine. For some people,
that means feeling a loss of control, spurring
depressive symptoms. Fight back by establishing a new routine: The kids can sleep in,
but you still set bedtimes.
3
takE CarE of YoursELf.
"Having a self-care routine is very
important, especially when you're
anxious or depressed," Schaub says. "When
you feel like everything is about taking care
of the kids, it's important to bring your focus
back to yourself."
4
run awaY from
dEprEssion.
photo by thinkstock
Exercise can be like a drug-reducing
levels of the stress hormone cortisol and
releasing
mood-elevating
endorphins.
Doctors are even prescribing exercise as a
treatment for depression. Studies show that
exercise can reduce depression as effectively
as medication can for some people. Start your
day with a morning jog, take a walk during
your lunch break or do yoga on your patio.
5
LEan on Your friEnds.
"The greatest buffer against depression is your social support network,"
says Shawn Achor, a co-founder of the
Institute for Applied Positive Research and
the author of Before Happiness. "The depth
and breadth of your relationships is the
greatest buffer against depression."
6
fEnd off faCEbook.
A study in the Public Library of
Science in 2013 suggested that heavy
Facebook users were more likely to be unsatisfied with life. If you find yourself struggling with all those photos of happy people or
feeling disappointed when you compare your
achievements with those of others, Schaub
says, close down Facebook.
7
GEt Your ZZZ s .
People with insomnia are 10 times
more likely to develop depression
than those who sleep well, according to the
National Sleep Foundation. But, the organization acknowledges, the relationship is
complex: Sleep problems can lead to depression, and depression can lead to sleep problems. Examine your sleep pattern, and think
about changing your bedtime or installing
light-blocking blackout shades.
8
foCus on thE positivE.
It's important to concentrate on the
good, Achor says. Make a list of things
in your life that you feel fortunate about: success at work, people you love. "You have a lot
to be grateful for," he says.
ClaSSES
1
Eat brEakfast.
If you know that a
period of stress or
depression is on the
horizon, engage in
"social investment"-
that is, "helping someone else out," says
Jamila Brown, CHES,
health education specialist at Gwinnett
Medical Center.
Here's an exercise she
recommends: Every day
for three weeks, take
two minutes to write
a positive letter or
email to someone. Tell
someone you're grateful for her friendship,
or thank a high school
English teacher.
"Twenty-one days
later, your brain will
realize that you have
deep social connections," Brown says.
That, she says, has
a powerful positive
effect on depression
and brings you closer
to your social support network.
Work Out, Feel Better
Participating in fitness classes is a good way to focus on
yourself and get your exercise. Gwinnett Medical Center offers
a variety of fitness classes at its Lawrenceville and Duluth facilities.
To register, visit gwinnettmedicalcenter.org/classes
and search under "Fitness Classes."
SUM MER 2014
15
http://www.gwinnettmedicalcenter.org/classes
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Contents
Phil’s Feature
3 Ways to Give
Summer Numbers
Stress SOS
The Truth About Sunscreen
The Transformers
Get Your Head in the Game
The Journey Continues
On the Cover
The Foot Follies
Friendly Fat
Virtual Health
PrimeTime Health
Back in the Swing
And the Beat Goes On
Out of the White Coat
Transforming Healthcare
Vim & Vigor - Summer 2014 - Gwinnett Medical Center
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