Lori Calabrese, MD

Tag: Exercise

7 Tips to Avoid Holiday Stress and Depression

The holidays are quickly approaching and you may already be experiencing some angst. While the holidays are a great way to spend quality time with family and friends, stress and depression aren’t uncommon during this time. Here are 7 tips to help you avoid holiday stress and depression.

1. Be Realistic

We often have an idea of how the holidays will be in our mind but is that idea realistic? Families aren’t perfect and, sometimes, things go awry. Each holiday is going to be different than the last. It’s important to find ways to work around any issues that may arise. For instance, if someone can’t make it, find an alternative way to share the holiday with him or her. You can video chat or send photos to one another.

2. Own Your Feelings

Owning your feelings is a great way to help avoid stress and depression during the holidays. If you can’t attend a family function or if someone can’t attend your function, it’s okay to feel sad or disappointed. If the holidays bring up memories of a deceased loved one, it’s okay to feel grief. Try to set aside some private time to let your feelings out so that you can enjoy the remainder of the holiday.

3. Set Aside Differences

Accepting your family and friends for who they are will help you avoid a great deal of stress during the holidays. You don’t have to agree with anyone’s opinion or life choices; accept them for who they are and agree to disagree.

4. Plan

With so much going on and people coming into town, it’s important to have a plan for the holidays. Set aside specific days for shopping, cooking, and visiting others so that you’re not so overwhelmed. If you have family coming into town for an extended period of time, it may also be helpful for you to plan your menu for their visit to keep last minute meal issues from arising.

5. Say No

Learning to say no will help you avoid a great deal of stress and depression during the holidays. If you say yes when you really wanted to say no, you may develop resentment, which isn’t going to serve you well during this time. If you can’t participate in an activity, say no. If you can’t attend an event, say no. You can’t be everything to everyone and that’s okay.

6. Budget

The bulk of stress surrounding the holidays is often related to money. Many people spend more than they planned and then become worried about making ends meet or paying off debt. This is especially true when buying gifts. To minimize the stress associated with this, it’s important to create and stick to a budget. Keep in mind that you don’t have to purchase a gift for everyone you know.

7. Keep Healthy Habits

The holidays are often a time of rich foods, which can derail your healthy eating habits. Be sure to keep up with your diet and exercise routine during this time. Not only will your waistline thank you, but your mental health will thank you, too. It’s okay to indulge occasionally, but overindulgence only adds to your holiday stress.

The holidays should be a time of peace and joy. Following these tips will help you achieve just that. To learn more, or to schedule an appointment, please contact our office at 860.648.9755.

To getting you back to your best self,
Lori Calabrese, MD

November 21, 2016
4 Ways to Ease Depression

If you’re battling depression, you know how debilitating it can be. It’s more than just feeling unhappy; it’s pervasive and it takes time to develop positive strategies to help lift your symptoms. While antidepressants and psychotherapy are the cornerstone of treatment, there are many tools that you use to help ease your depressive symptoms.

1. Journal

Journaling has a profound impact on your mood because it can work in two ways. You can write down all of your fears and worries to help ease and quiet your mind. You can also use journaling to remind you that things are never as bad as they may seem. Make a habit of jotting down a few things you’re grateful for each time you journal. Also try to make note of something positive that happened to you that day, no matter how insignificant you may think it is.

2. Exercise

Regular exercise isn’t only good for your physical health, it works wonders for your spirits. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which help improve your immune system and boost your mood and self-esteem. You should strive to get 20 minutes of cardio or weight work (something that gets you pumping) 5 times per week.

3. Stop Negative Self Talk

When you’re depressed, you may find that it’s easier to see things in a negative way instead of a positive one. You may blame yourself when things go awry because depression reinforces self-doubt. When your thoughts turn negative, get out your journal and jot down a few things you like about yourself. This will help you change your thought process and ease depression. Get on Twitter and follow Twitter handles that post motivational and inspiring quotes – there’s a bunch! They can give you a positive stream of hope and encouragement at the touch of a finger any time you need to nurture yourself.

4. Listen to Music

Music has healing powers that are often overlooked or easily dismissed. When you’re feeling depressed, turn on some upbeat music and you’ll notice that your mood can begin to improve.

While these things can help ease minor depression symptoms, you should consult your doctor if your symptoms persist or worsen. To learn more about innovative treatments for depression, or to schedule an appointment, please call us at 860.648.9755.

To getting you back to your best self,
Lori Calabrese, MD

October 19, 2016
4 Ways to Overcome Mental Exhaustion

Mental exhaustion often disguises itself as overwhelm and stress. If you’ve ever complained about not having enough time in the day, you may be suffering from mental exhaustion. Here are 4 ways to overcome it!

1. Relax

Relaxation is often elusive to many of us for one reason or another. It’s not enough to relax; you need to give yourself permission to relax. Don’t feel guilty about doing nothing. Your mind, body, and spirit need the rest so sit back and enjoy it!

2. Be Realistic

For many of us, our to do list is full of tasks we know we’re not going to accomplish that day. It’s time to start being realistic about how much you can get done during the day. Don’t overextend yourself with a full to do list. Leave some room for more enjoyable things, like taking a walk or reading.

3. Practice Prioritization

At the beginning of each day, choose the three tasks that must be completed that day. These are the most important tasks you should be focusing on, which help you prioritize your day. It’s also helpful to find more efficient ways of handling your tasks. For example, setting up your bills on auto-pay will take the stress off of you each month because you don’t have to manually pay them.

4. Seek Rest Opportunities

Rest opportunities are all around us but many of us are too exhausted to see them. While you’re waiting in line, try some mindfulness techniques or breathing exercises. Some mindfulness techniques include paying close attention to physical feelings, such as how your feet feel on the floor or in your shoes, how your shoulders feel (i.e. are they tense, back, hunched forward). These can be used in public, making it a perfect option while standing in line at the supermarket.

Relaxing your mind and recovering from mental exhaustion is essential for good mental health. It’s important to take time for yourself, even if it’s just 20 minutes a day, to help you unwind and feel better.

To getting you back to your best self,
Lori Calabrese, MD

July 12, 2016
Can Exercise Ease Depression?

Exercise is important to our physical health but it’s also essential to our mental well-being. If you’re feeling down, one of the best things you can do is to get active. It doesn’t take much; a brisk 30-minute walk is sometimes all it takes to help you feel better.

When you’re depressed, your brain doesn’t function like it should. In fact, depression shuts down the brain’s ability to adapt to new situations. Certain chemicals in the brain are limited that decrease communication in the brain during depression.

During exercise, our bodies release endorphins and serotonin. Endorphins are a natural antidepressant and serotonin boosts mood. It also increases blood flow to the brain, which can cause an increase in memory and alertness.

It has a number of physical and mental health benefits, including, but not limited to:

• Increasing self-esteem
• Gaining confidence
• Creating a distraction from your nagging thoughts
• Fresh air and sunshine to bolster mood

Before you start any exercise routine, always check with your doctor to make sure it’s safe for you. In the meantime, prepare yourself for what you’ll do to burn calories and ease your depression symptoms. Think of activities you enjoy doing because making exercise fun means you’ll stick with it longer. Don’t forget to set reasonable goals for yourself and prepare for setbacks.

While exercise is a great method to help you feel better, it may not be enough. You may still need an antidepressant, but that doesn’t mean you get to skip the exercise! Medication and exercise are a great combination and should be taken together.

To getting you back to your best self,
Lori Calabrese, MD

June 14, 2016

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