Depression

Why: Exercise, especially cardio, is the single most effective treatment for depression that researchers have ever found. It is three times more effective than antidepressants . It also doesn't have their side effects.

Why: The link between depression and sleep is insanely strong. For example, 75% of depressed people show symptoms of insomnia . Thus, treating your problematic sleep is akin to treating your depression.

Why: Depression is marked by a pattern of self-critical and hopeless thinking that is really painful for the thinker. But you don't have to suffer alone. A therapist can teach you a set of research-backed techniques that will make dealing with these thoughts easier.

Why: Spending a ten-minute session writing about the best life you can imagine for yourself in the future may significantly improve your overall level of happiness .

Why: Unsurprisingly, loneliness is strongly linked to your levels of anxiety, depression, and death , as it increases inflammation and disregulates cortisol . But, importantly, loneliness is not the same thing as social isolation, you can feel live in relative isolation and not feel lonely. And it's loneliness, not social isolation, that's the killer .

Why: Humans have three, fundamental needs: freedom, deep friendship, and to get better at something . The easiest way to do the final one, especially when alone, is to make something, whether that be art, code, or a business. Importantly, what you make doesn't need to make money. It just needs to be something that one, you find engaging, and two, can done alone, as this is an extremely useful way to combat loneliness.

Why: Research has shown social media usage leads to increased depression, loneliness, and anxiety. This is because these platforms inspire FoMo (fear of missing out) and social comparison, where you compare your life to the airbrushed highlights of someone else's life .

Why: A bad job, one where you have minimal control over your time and work and the work itself isn't meaningful, is strongly linked to depression and anxiety, as well as certain physical conditions, like heart attacks . This is because much of the cause of all these conditions, especially depression, is chronic inflammation and cortisol dysfunction , both of which are increased by social stressors, like a bad job. This is why the risk of death due to a heart attack is doubled in someone who has recently been bereaved, and why seemingly unrelated things, like pollution and diet are strongly linked to depression and anxiety, as they can increase inflammation and/or disregulate cortisol .

Why: Meditation is an effective way to reduce your levels of depression and anxiety. It is makes you happier , more empathetic , and is protective against loneliness . However, meditation requires a decent chunk of time, around 30 minutes per day , and it's not for everyone. We'd much prefer people start with therapy and labeling, and then only move to meditation once they're ready for it.

Why: Antidepressants, namely SNRIs and SSRIs, work by restoring the brain to a more changeable (plastic) state , rather than restoring low levels of a neurotransmitter, like serotonin . They have been shown to be reasonably effective in treating depression , especially when combined with therapy. However, they're not magic and do come with a set of minor side effects. We think they're worth it for most people suffering from depression, but talk with your doctor to learn more.

Why: Fish oil has been shown to be reasonably effective in treating anxiety and depression , roughly comparable with antidepressants. An effective dose is probably 2,000 mg of combined EPA and DHA, with an EPA:DHA ratio of at least 2:1. We like .