The days are beginning to shorten as we move into fall and winter. Many of us suffer the "Winter Blues," or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD- appropriate name, aye?) to varying degrees. But it is preventable and treatable! Read on for simple tips to avoid the cold weather funk.
SAD affects millions worldwide. Symptoms usually begin in late fall and continue through until spring, and can include:
Contrary to what the sunscreen companies will have you believe, we need sunlight! Just as all living things, we need sunlight to grow and be healthy and function at 100%. As you get less sun due to short winter days, your body goes into a "hibernation mode" like bears. So take advantage of any sunny days you can. When this is not an option, try one or more of the following.
Exercise
Drag your butt off that couch and get moving! Yeah, I said it! Exercise helps alleviate the symptoms of SAD. Put on some energetic music to help get your blood pumping. Yes, it'll be a bit of an effort to start, however I promise you within minutes you will begin to feel better!
Light Therapy
The best light is the natural sun. Here we find rescue kitten Marley soaking up his vitamin D through the only patch of sunlight he could find.
Cats are pretty smart creatures, they know sunlight is rejuvenating and healthy, that's why you'll catch your kitten taking advantage of any ray that comes in through the window, no matter how small!
But during those day when the sunlight just doesn't shine through the cloud cover, have one of these handy.
This alarm clock
You can also purchase full spectrum light bulbs
Get Your Vitamins!
Without the sun producing our natural vitamin D, we have to supplement our bodies with this necessary nutrient. Take a trusted multivitamin, or better yet- get it naturally from the foods you eat:
Hang Out
Hang out with your friends to boost your mood and support each other through the cold winter days.
Cuddle
It's cold- perfect excuse for sharing a blanket and cuddling in front of the telly with your significant other. Touch is proven to release the body's feel good chemicals and naturally boost mood. Why do you think more babies are born in the summer- 9 months after the cold spell ;)
Did I miss any? Share your favorite tips to bust winter depression in the comments!
Images via Pixabay, Creative Commons, and Giphy
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Thanks for sharing!
I am happy that you enjoyed it :)
I've definitely experienced this in the past year or two as I've been exercising a lot less than I was in years past. Fall, Winter and Spring used to be marathon training seasons for me but I haven't run but one half marathon in the past 20 months.
Last winter I got very depressed and had most of the symptoms you've listed above. I knew I needed to start exercising more but I just couldn't snap out of it and I resorted to other means of trying to be happy which weren't so healthy.
But now that the weather where I live is cooling off I've started running 3 miles / day on my lunch breaks and I've had more energy and been a little bit happier in general. It doesn't take but a couple of weeks of consistent exercise to notice a big difference.
I've always taken vitamins and eaten pretty healthy but running is the key to me not being depressed. Especially in the winter time.
In parts of Alaska, alcohol is not sold Mid winter. With the "day" in the northernmost parts looking more like a couple hours of dusk, suicide and alcohol poisoning became high. So they outlawed it.
Good you recognized it, and took the necessary steps! Well done :)
Are the days there ever so bad that you cannot run? If so, what do you do then?
There are never days when I physically can't run...but my brain is what prevents me from running some days. It can always find an excuse not to.
On the days when I've planned on running (3-4 days per week) when I don't feel like it sometimes I go home after work and drink and think about how much I hate my job lol...or sit around and watch TV and zone out. Not healthy ways of dealing with stress at all.
I'm trying to break myself of this habit by making detailed plans for every day of the week. That's how I usually manage to stick to it.
Well, I was thinking inclement weather. No matter where you are there can be a bad day ;)
I'm guilty of veg days too. Sometimes they are necessary. But if you find yourself taking too many of them, then you gotta reevaluate, lol.
The detailed planning is a great idea.
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Those are some great tips to beat S.A.D.It's mostly sunny days in my neck of the woods, nobody even knows what S.A.D is.Our winter in Nairobi is in June and July where the weather gets a little chilly but no snow at all. After this the weather is lovely all year long :)
Thank you!
It sounds absolutely lovely where you are!
Yeah, it is lovely...the only thing that I don't like is the rain. sometimes it rains heavily with thunder n lightning.
I am the opposite, rain recharges me. My absolute favorite smell on the planet is the smell of rain. And thunderstorms energize me- I love thunder!
What gets me is those grey days, one moving into another...
@arbitrarykitten Excellent Tale. Awesome you ended up in the position to hustle your way out of your respective condition.
Thanks. I hope this helps others :)
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STOPNice one I will look into these option the lightbulbs sound great. And the cuddles haha better get dating :)
Ha! Yea, that does help ;)
Out of practice, quite fun doing all again :)