How To Get Out Of A Funk | 5 Ways to Escape a Depressive Rut

Depression is a serious mental illness, and I am NOT a doctor, so if you are clinically depressed, get some professional help. But you don't need to have clinical depression to feel like crap once in a while. In my life, I feel like I've lost my mojo, like I've lost that spark of life that used to drive me to my goals and keep me motivated. A lot of people call this a funk, and clearly, a lot of people find themselves in it because when you type in on Google how to get out of a funk, it's one of the top results.

So how does one get out of this funk? Well, if you ask yourself that question, you came to the right video. So here are five scientifically proven ways to unfuck yourself and get some positive energized momentum back into your life.

Step 1: Wake up at the same time every single day. You'll hear people saying all the time that in order to be healthy, you need to get more sleep. Human beings tend to operate best on between seven and a half and eight and a half hours of sleep, but it's just as important to have predictability in your sleep patterns; your brain needs that. Furthermore, as far as energy levels go, your wake time is more important than your bedtime. Your body's internal clock loves a predictable wake-up time. So if you're in a funk and you're serious about getting out of it, instead of saying, "I'm gonna go to bed at 10:30 p.m. every night from now on," obviously try to go to bed at a good hour, but set a fixed wake-up time that's non-negotiable, and it'll help you out a lot.

Step number two is to go outside in nature. I make videos as a job, as my main source of income, so you'll often find me for hours on end, days on end, in my little computer cave editing away, far away from the sunlight, like a little vampire boy. And doing this makes it very easy for me to slip into a funk if I'm not careful. But I've noticed that going outside in nature, taking a walk, getting some fresh air is integral to maintaining my sanity and overall sense of well-being. In fact, I made an entire video about this—the benefits of going outside. I think it was two videos ago, so I'll put a link in the description for that video, and check it out. You'd be surprised just how good going outside is for you, and most of these benefits I talked about have nothing to do with vitamin D. Go outside.

Step number three is to eat a good breakfast every morning. I know that intermittent fasting is all the rage right now with bodybuilders and people who are trying to lose weight, but science shows that people who eat a good breakfast full of omega-3 fatty acids and protein show elevated mood and overall sense of well-being compared to people who skip breakfast or just rely on coffee. And if you're not really a breakfast person, definitely do some research as to what constitutes a good breakfast, like eggs and avocado and things that will give you protein and omega-3 fatty acids. So then take a trip to a grocery store, come back with the supplies, and figure out how to make it. That way, you're prepared. There's no guesswork. You can just hop out of bed, have a good breakfast, and be ready to go.

Tip number four is to get some exercise. You've heard this a million times, but the science is there. Exercise is by far one of the most effective ways to alleviate depression and increase overall mood because it raises the serotonin levels in your brain, the lack of which is one of the main causes of major depressive disorder. So if exercise is good enough for legitimate doctors to prescribe to patients who have clinical depression, it's good enough for me to prescribe to you to get out of your funk. The thing about exercise is you don't need to develop a complex workout plan to get the benefits. Studies have shown that just a brisk walk for half an hour three times a week is enough to give you the benefits. So even make it a daily habit. When you wake up in the morning, set aside 20 minutes to half an hour to just put on some running shoes and walk around the block. I guarantee you that if you're not getting exercise, doing this will make you feel a lot better.

And finally, tip number five is to get some social interaction. Who would have thought, right? Studies have shown that there's a huge difference between quality face-to-face interaction and just messaging somebody, texting somebody, or talking to them on the phone. Long story short, face-to-face interaction is better and makes you feel a lot better too. An interesting thing is the benefits of face-to-face interactions seem to amplify the older you get. So even if you're young, it's important to develop healthy social habits so that when you're older, you won't be sad. It's not good; it's not very—it's not that nice. I don't want to be a sad old person.

This may sound weird, but I have a very packed schedule most of the time, so I will literally schedule in a social interaction into my Google Calendar to make sure that I do it. That way, when I'm feeling social or not, which is usually when I need social interaction the most, my fate is sealed. I just have to hang out with somebody.

So that's it. If you find yourself in a bit of a funk—you might be in a bit of a funk right now—it doesn't have to last forever, and hopefully, the tips in this video will help you get that kick in the butt you need to make you a productive, functioning human member of society again. If you like this video, hit that like button, and if you like videos like these, hit that subscribe button. Follow me on Twitter at Better Ideas TV, and if you're already subscribed, make sure to hit that bell icon below the video so that you don't miss my next video. And finally, if you like what I do and want to support the channel, in the description there's a link to my Patreon. Even if you become a $1 patron, it makes a huge difference and helps me put out videos like these in the future. So thank you very much. Thanks for watching. That's all for today, and we'll catch you in the next video.