Session 4: Managing low mood and depression

Practical steps to reduce low mood and depression (39 minutes).

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What you will learn

Stress can affect your mood. But there are things you can do to improve your mood and reduce the risk of depression.

You will learn:

about the difference between low mood and depression
a strategy to help plan and do things you enjoy (behaviour activation)
how physical activity can improve your mood and reduce stress
a guided exercise to help you be kind to yourself

Things you can do

You can practise some activities to help you manage low mood:

Think about how you feel

Low mood and depression has a strong impact on how you feel. It can help to notice your feelings.

Identify and name the feelings.
Identify any negative thoughts connected with the feelings.
Identify things that triggered the feelings.
Talk to someone you trust.

Talking to someone about what's troubling you

Plan things you enjoy (behavioural activation)

Behavioural activation is when you make activities that you enjoy part of your daily routine. When you feel low, it can be hard to do this.

To help plan and do activities:

Make a list of activities that bring you joy.
Decide on 1 activity that you will commit to.
Note how you will get started. For example, when and where you will do the activity.
Put your plan into action.
Review your plan after a couple of weeks - think about how your plan is working and make changes if you need to.

Improve your mood with physical activity

Physical activity is a great way to balance feelings of stress and low mood.

It helps:

use up energy from the physical symptoms of stress
balance stress hormones and improve your mood
improve your sleep quality
give you a sense of control

It can also be a good way to meet people and get more involved in your community.

Aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity a day. This is when your heart rate and breathing is faster than normal. An example of a moderate activity is brisk walking.

Start with activities that you enjoy.

Physical activity and your mental health

Use a guided exercise to be kind to yourself

When you feel low, try a guided exercise on being kind to yourself.

Guided exercise for low mood or depression (video, 6 minutes)

Use tension down

When you notice physical symptoms of stress, try the tension down breathing exercise.

Tension down (video, 3 minutes)

Find out more about low mood or depression

Low mood - tips and self-help

Clinical depression

Get help if you need it