How to sleep your Depression away

Does this look like someone who has depression?

Well…it is.

Why am I showing you a photo of me looking happy?

Because showing you one of me in the middle of an episode is not helpful for anyone.

Here’s something that is helpful.

Sleep.

If you suffer from depression, there’s a good chance that you’ve had really vivid dreams for most of your life. There’s probably some scientific explanation of why that is, but I don’t care. I don’t deal with science, I deal in with emotion and intuition.

And I know for a fact, that if I don’t get enough sleep, or if I’m having too many nightmares, I will end up in the middle of a depressive episode. That’s a when not an if.

Now, dreaming vividly is actually a good thing. It’s your higher self working through all the shit you’re dealing with at the moment. Because we all have shit to deal with, its only the depth that differs each day.

But when those dreams are giving you more terror and pain than anything else, it means they’re warning you that you need to look after your mental health. Somethings not right.

And, if you’re a woman of a certain age, you can add hormonal crap to the “not getting enough sleep” cycle.

So…how do you ensure you get enough sleep without resorting to chemicals or other nasty substances.

Lavender oil has been one of my sleep saviors. I know that sounds dramatic, but nonetheless, it’s true. Lavender oil either in the diffuser beside the bed or a few drops on my pillow is the best cure I know for insomnia. That makes it one of the best preventatives I know for depression.

And yes, I have used sleeping pills before. They certainly knocked me out so that I slept, but I always woke up with a hangover. And I didn’t dream. As much as my dreams can upset my whole day, I miss them when I don’t have them.

What do you use to help you sleep?