Depression Daily Ritual

Why am I using the word ritual on the title of this page?

I am not using it on the religious context of the word. Rituals implies a personal choice and tend to be followed more than habits.

Habits one can break easily, but rituals not so much. Rituals do have a more profound moral and mental connotation and there are not so easily broken.

I decided to follow a "Depression Help Morning Success Ritual" as soon as I get up.

With a mental illness such as depression getting up can, usually is, the most excruciating time of the day.

So, if you follow a particular ritual, nothing heavy, can help you get your day started on the right foot.

This is what I do as my daily Depression Help Ritual:

1.- Get up at 6 am (you know it is recommended to get up and go to bed at the same time, weekends included, to get your brain hormones released on a regular flow).

2.- Drink a half a liter of water. It's been proven that the body gets dehydrated during the night. So, makes sense to drink water (no, not coffee or tea, plain water).

3.- Go the bathroom (no explanations here).

4.- Floss and brush your teeth (the intention of this is to start your day clean and refresh and what better way than to start with your mouth. We'll take a shower a bit latter)

5.- Meditation for 5 or 10 minutes (if your preference is for a longer period of time, by all means go for it).

6.- Light exercise such as yoga or pilates for 10 to 15 minutes (the intention here is to pump up your heart rate a bit). The single most important method of emotional renewal is to increase your heart rate. This is very true

7.- Take a shower.

8.- Get on with your day.

I have been following this Depression Help Ritual for approximately 2 years, and you have no idea how much has helped me, especially on those dreary days of winter.

As you see, this is simple routine that requires very little time and effort and there are some things in it that you must do any way, such as going to the bathroom, brushing your teeth and taking a shower. So, might as well make them part of your Depression Help Daily Ritual.

Of course this is not set in stone, you can make adjustments that fit your life style. Some people like to go to the gym first time in the morning, well go for it.

The intention here is to set up a simple, easy to follow morning ritual that you commit to follow every day with the intention of getting your day started on a solid and stable ground.

With this simple Depression Help Ritual you take care of your body, your mind and your spirit.