If you're fed up of feeling low, try these all-natural remedies to put the spring back in your step.
Work it out
Regular aerobic workouts boost levels of feelgood chemicals in the brain, and research in the US found exercise to be almost as powerful as anti-depressants for treating depression. Try brisk walking, jogging, dancing or swimming - anything that leaves you a bit breathless is ideal. Aim for at least half an hour, two to five times a week. Lap up the morning sun
Sunlight lifts mood and it's all down to the hormone melatonin, which is vital for including sleepiness - sunlight acts on photoreceptors in the eye to suppress melatonin, while darkness encourages it. To stabilise your melatonin cycle, take a 20-minutes walk in the early-morning sunshine and feel good instantly.
SLEEP ON IT Depression can lead to insomia, and lack of sleep brings us down emotionally and can lead to weight gain, too.
Confront Anger
Anger Management expert Mike Fisher says, "where there is repressed anger, there lies the root of depression." Find a positive physical release for your anger, like using a punchbag or doing demanding physical exercise. Once you've worked off the adrenaline, you'll be able to tackle problems calmly rather than allowing them to fester.Get off the hamster wheel
When life is one long list of chores, we can forget to stop and smell the flowers. Treat yourself at least once a week; see friends, buy a plant to nature - indulge yourself.
SIP IT AND SEE
Cloves can help beat the blues. Make cloves tea by infusing 1/2 tsp of clove buds in 250 ml of hot water for 5 minutes. Strain and sweeten with a little honey. For a clove bath, simmer 1 1/2 tsp of cloves in a large pan of water for 30 minutes, add to a warm bath, relax and enjoy.