Uploaded August 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
10 ways to beat the blues for personal well-being
So much to say here. I have had bouts of depression and over the years, as I further my personal development, I've found things that worked naturally. Many of them have also made me feel like a whole person.
I started out knowing that a couple of them had research to back them but as I looked into the others out of curiosity, I found ALL of the ones on my list had research (not just a blog post - but RESEARCH) to back them.
1. Pets and depression:
webmd.com/depression/features/pets-depression
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6747257
2. Walks in Nature:
https://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/june/hiking-mental-health-063015.html
3. Legs on the Wall Pose:
drweil.com/health-wellness/balanced-living/exercise-fitness/legs-up-the-wall-pose
4. SuperHero Pose: ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_may_shape_who_you_are
5. Listening to Music - ERIC - EJ1289646 - Effect of Music Intervention on Depression in Graduate Students, Music Education Research, 2021 - eric.ed.gov/?q-depression+&id=EJ1289646
eric.ed.gov/?redir=http%3a%2f%2fdx.doi.org%2f10.1080%2f14613808.2020.1847058
6. Exercise and depression and anxiety:
Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms - mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495
Exercise is an all-natural treatment to fight depression - https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-is-an-all-natural-treatment-to-fight-depression
7. Stretching - Flexibility Exercise (stretching) and Yoga - Effects of Physical Activity on the Stress and Suicidal Ideation in Korean Adult Women with Depressive Disorder (nih.gov) ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7277385
8. Meditation:
What meditation can do for your mind, mood, and health - https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/what-meditation-can-do-for-your-mind-mood-and-health-
Evidence Map of Yoga for Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - PubMed (nih.gov) - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26181774
9. Journaling:
Bibliotherapy for depression - PubMed (nih.gov) - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23550243/#:~:text=Bibliotherapy%20for%20depression.%20Bibliotherapy%20can%20be%20used%20to,of%20the%20doctor%20is%20to%20support%20and%20motivate
Journaling for Mental Health - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center - https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1
And check out my video on Free Writing - youtube.com/watch?v=deY-LPM6z1o&t=3s
10. Vitamin D and depression:
Depression and Vitamin D Deficiency: Is There a Connection? (healthline.com) - healthline.com/health/depression-and-vitamin-d
Vitamin D deficiency and depression in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis | The British Journal of Psychiatry | Cambridge Core - cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/vitamin-d-deficiency-and-depression-in-adults-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis/F4E7DFBE5A7B99C9E6430AF472286860
Efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in major depression: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - PubMed (nih.gov) - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29943744
10 ways to beat the blues for personal well-being
So much to say here. I have had bouts of depression and over the years, as I further my personal development, I've found things that worked naturally. Many of them have also made me feel like a whole person.
I started out knowing that a couple of them had research to back them but as I looked into the others out of curiosity, I found ALL of the ones on my list had research (not just a blog post - but RESEARCH) to back them.
1. Pets and depression:
webmd.com/depression/features/pets-depression
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6747257
2. Walks in Nature:
https://news.stanford.edu/news/2015/june/hiking-mental-health-063015.html
3. Legs on the Wall Pose:
drweil.com/health-wellness/balanced-living/exercise-fitness/legs-up-the-wall-pose
4. SuperHero Pose: ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_may_shape_who_you_are
5. Listening to Music - ERIC - EJ1289646 - Effect of Music Intervention on Depression in Graduate Students, Music Education Research, 2021 - eric.ed.gov/?q-depression+&id=EJ1289646
eric.ed.gov/?redir=http%3a%2f%2fdx.doi.org%2f10.1080%2f14613808.2020.1847058
6. Exercise and depression and anxiety:
Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms - mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495
Exercise is an all-natural treatment to fight depression - https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-is-an-all-natural-treatment-to-fight-depression
7. Stretching - Flexibility Exercise (stretching) and Yoga - Effects of Physical Activity on the Stress and Suicidal Ideation in Korean Adult Women with Depressive Disorder (nih.gov) ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7277385
8. Meditation:
What meditation can do for your mind, mood, and health - https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/what-meditation-can-do-for-your-mind-mood-and-health-
Evidence Map of Yoga for Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder - PubMed (nih.gov) - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26181774
9. Journaling:
Bibliotherapy for depression - PubMed (nih.gov) - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23550243/#:~:text=Bibliotherapy%20for%20depression.%20Bibliotherapy%20can%20be%20used%20to,of%20the%20doctor%20is%20to%20support%20and%20motivate
Journaling for Mental Health - Health Encyclopedia - University of Rochester Medical Center - https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&ContentTypeID=1
And check out my video on Free Writing - youtube.com/watch?v=deY-LPM6z1o&t=3s
10. Vitamin D and depression:
Depression and Vitamin D Deficiency: Is There a Connection? (healthline.com) - healthline.com/health/depression-and-vitamin-d
Vitamin D deficiency and depression in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis | The British Journal of Psychiatry | Cambridge Core - cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/vitamin-d-deficiency-and-depression-in-adults-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis/F4E7DFBE5A7B99C9E6430AF472286860
Efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in major depression: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - PubMed (nih.gov) - pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29943744
