The Pill-Free ANSWER for Depression

Everyone is looking for that magic bullet to combat anxiety and depression. 

Maybe the latest drug, or the tried-and-true supplement. 

Maybe even something from your spice cabinet or the grocery store.

And while there are plenty of proven ways to combat mood disorders, there’s one method that tends to get completely overlooked.

But this one could be the best solution of all. 

Because it doesn’t involve popping any pills, making any diet changes…or spending any money.

What is this pill-free, cost-free answer to depression and anxiety?

It’s simply this: sleep.

According to a recent study, not getting enough sleep tends to put people in a pattern of negative thoughts.

What exactly does that mean? It depends.

For some, it could be ruminating—getting mentally stuck on an idea that you can’t get out of your head.

For others, it could be overthinking—trying to consider every possible angle or outcome so you don’t make a wrong decision.

Or maybe you find yourself being overly cynical—mistrusting people’s motives, or (mis)interpreting someone’s behavior in the worst way.

But it can all lead to anxiety and depression. 

If any of this rings true, I have good news. 

Breaking this pattern of negative thinking could be a good night’s sleep away.

For the study, researchers monitored people who had high levels of repetitive negative thinking, and measured when and how long they slept.

What they found was that not getting enough regular sleep made it difficult for people to turn off negative information in their heads.

Those who got good sleep might be able to receive negative information and move on, but those who were sleep-deprived were more likely to get fixated on those negative thoughts.

Ultimately, prolonged negative thinking can cause you to become depressed, anxious, or chronically stressed out.

Take a good hard look at your sleep habits. If you’re not getting at least eight hours of shut-eye, make that a top priority.

Turn off those computer, television, and phone screens at least a couple hours before bed – the blue light they produce can interfere with your sleep. 

Try to focus on sleep this week, and see how much better you feel. 

It could be the easiest antidote for depression around. 

To a brighter day,

Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D.