by Allison Bates

Created on: April 29, 2008

How many of us have at one point felt overstressed, or extremely depressed? It's normal to feel this on occasion, but if it's taking over your life, then you may need some help maintaining a healthy happy life. Here are some tips to keep yourself feeling better.

Eat healthy:
Eating healthy foods is very important in maintaining mind and body function. While a piece of cake or an ice cream sandwich may be satisfying in the moment, it can cause depression and fatigue. Not to say eating a scrumptious treat is not okay every once in awhile, you just need to make sure your eating healthy in-between. Avoid lots of sugary, fatty foods like pie and potato chips, and try eating more wholesome grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, and dairy. Take some time to look at the food pyramid and make yourself a nice healthy diet.

Have a good sleep schedule:
Sleep is vital for our body, and if you're not sleeping properly you may be causing yourself to be irritable and depressed. Make sure that you're getting at least 8 hours of sleep a night. Also try and go to bed early, and get up early. Our bodies were made to sleep during the dark, and be awake in the light, so that's how we function best. Try taking five deep breaths when you wake up and right before you go to bed, this helps relax you, and increases blood flow and muscle function.

Don't procrastinate:
Procrastination is a bad habit that a lot of people have. This may satisfy you in the short term, but can cause extreme stress in the long term. If you do your best to pay your bills on time, or do your homework when it's assigned you will be surprised at how much stress you relieve from yourself. As hard as this may seem, it's a habit that CAN be broken!

Vent:
There is absolutely nothing wrong with telling someone how you feel. It is natural and healthy to vent your feelings to a friend or family member. So many people hold in their feelings of unhappiness, and this is very unhealthy. Pick a few people that you know you can trust, and pick one day a week that you can talk to one of them . . . vent out all of your feelings from what has gone on in the past week, maybe even some good things to lighten the mood and look at the positive side of life. If you don't feel like you can trust anyone, write things down, diary entries are a great way to vent your feelings without being worried about what someone thinks of you.

Take time to yourself:
If you're feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, chances are you're not relaxing. It is important to

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