Why is Depression Heavy?

Depression is profoundly physical and feels physically heavy because it is. Depression isn’t just in our minds; it’s in our nervous system, our hormones, our muscles, our entire nervous system. When we talk about depression, we talk a lot about serotonin and dopamine but rarely unpack norepinephrine. Norepinephrine, also known as noradrenaline, is responsible for the regulation of arousal, attention, and cognitive performance. Low levels of norepinephrine cause drowsiness and inattentiveness. Whereas high levels lead to anxiety and distractability. Norepinephrine also controls muscle contractility, which accelerates the onset of muscle fatigue and the feeling of psychical heaviness. Depression also impacts the ability to digest food, sleep, and fight off illness.

Once we understand why depression feels heavy, we can do some practical things to increase our norepinephrine. The most impactful thing we can do is eat foods rich in the amino acid tyrosine and omega-3 fatty acids such as cheese, soybeans, beef, lamb, pork, fish, chicken, nuts, eggs, dairy, beans, pumpkin seeds, and whole grain. Talking with a nutritionist about how to increase these essential nutrients and check to see what other nutritional deficiencies we may have can help replenish our reserves. Taking short cold showers can also help. Bursts of cold water have been shown to increase norepinephrine. Focusing on small changes that can have a big impact on lightening the weight of our depression can allow us to have a slight boost toward breaking free.

I believe that the more we know about the chemical impact of depression, the more empowered we become. If you’ve ever suffered from depression or are struggling now, you know how difficult it can be to make changes. Sometimes new information or a perspective other than our own can provide a tiny spark that can become the light to guide you out of the tunnel of depression.  If you are feeling depressed, I promise this is not your forever. We just need to find the right piece of knowledge that speaks to you and creates hope. You’re not alone, and you’re not broken. Depression is a complicated whole mind and body event. It is complex, but it’s also temporary.