By Mi-Ling Stone Poole –

During this time of the year many of us suffer depression from the loss of loved ones who were missed at holiday gatherings or worrying about those in the military.  Stress or depression can also pop-up when finances are tight due to unemployment or just the sheer stress associated with planning and preparing holiday dinners and attending parties.

According to a 2007, study by Mental Health in America 33 -35 million U.S. adults who will suffer depression at some point in their life.

I recently interviewed Paige Hemmis a designer on TV’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to discuss her struggle with depression. Even though Paige has a dream job designing homes for families who are dealing with challenges in their life, she struggled to get out of bed each day and had a difficult time dealing with the emotional impact that she was feeling for the families.

After suffering with fatigue and guilt Paige finally has her illness under control. Her new mission is to inspire others to speak with healthcare professionals about symptoms of depression and to educate families about the disease through Blueprint for Hope a National Depression Awareness Campaign.

When it comes to decorating your home Paige and I talked about the meaning of colors and how grey is a color that I tend to stay a way from because it causes me to feel depressed. Paige commented that some people may love the color blue because it denotes blue skies, but others may associate blue with blue. She also stressed the importance of designing a bedroom that allows for plenty of sleep because lack of sleep is associated with depression.

Paige offered the following tips:

Use blackout drapes in your bedroom to allow you to get an adequate amount of sleep

Paint the room a color that you love and that makes you feel good.

Declutter your bedroom to insure that you don’t go to bed thinking about bills, and unfinished business.