This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, We Get Better: 48 Treatment Options for Chronic Depression.

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Treatment option 8: Using nature and light therapy

Many people with and without depression report that their moods are affected by the presence or absence of natural light. And when you get that natural light outside, you might also receive the benefits of fresh air, open skies and exercise–no small extras.

Spending time out-of-doors, especially in natural environments, mentally separates us from our usual tasks and routines, helping to clear our heads. Even a short walk or quiet moment free of our four walls can interrupt an anxious or despondent moment by bringing our mental focus away from the emotional centers of our brain (the limbic system) and into the sensory centers instead.

In the book Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression–and the Unexpected Solutions, Johann Hari describes the various ways modern life creates disconnections that can lead to mood disorders. One of the most significant of these, he says, is our disconnection from nature. At least in part, spending more time outdoors might reduce depression by offering perspective: wide open spaces make us feel smaller, which helps our problems feel smaller, too. It’s a mental shift that happens almost without our noticing.

Light therapy can also be accomplished indoors with man-made lights designed for this purpose, including tanning beds at licensed professional tanning salons; however, your results may vary.

If desired, add “spending time in nature” and/or “using light therapy” to your depression treatment plan. Then set specific related goals and write them on your ongoing to-do list.

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