Winter blues are no joke, especially when it becomes serious enough to be considered Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or if you already struggle with depression. The months of January and February can seem never ending. Here are some tips to help to shake off those blues, and hopefully help you enjoy the long dark months of winter.
Spend time in the sun
Some places in the world are in total darkness at winter solstice, at which time Canada’s most southern cities only get approximately 9 hours of daylight. This may not seem very serious when we look at it in hours, but when most people are working 8-9 hour days, most often during the hours the sun is up, it means they rarely get to see or spend time in the sun.
Eat well
If you’re struggling with full blown depression eating may be a difficult task. However, it is crucial for our bodies, our brains especially. Eat three meals a day. Start with a good breakfast, this helps to give us some momentum to start our day off with.
Exercise
Yeah, I know, it isn’t the most exciting thing to do for some of us. Five minutes at a time is all that’s needed to break the cycle and help boost our mood. To receive the best benefits possible from exercise, aim for 20 minutes or more a day. Remember to go easy on yourself, especially in the beginning. As mentioned above, five minutes here and there is better than nothing.
Find ways to laugh
Laughter is the best medicine. How many times have you heard that saying? In all seriousness, laughing and smiling are incredible ways to boost our moods. Watch a silly Romcom, an actual comedy or a clip of your favorite stand-up comedian. Play with your pet, I know my cats crack me up. Read some bad dad jokes, watch funny You-Tube videos. Call your friend who never fails to crack you up.
Meditation
This one is intimidating for a lot of people. Meditation looks different for everyone. When we think of meditation, we usually think it means to sit in silence and figure out how the heck to silence our bubbly minds. When really, if you put on your favorite calm music, (I mean you metal heads may be able to accomplish meditation listening to the heaviest of metals and if you can high five from me, good on ya) sit in a comfy chair, get cozy and set a timer for 5 minutes, and just listen. Or maybe you like guided meditations, there are plenty of those on You-Tube, you can find apps specifically for meditation, or maybe you want to try out attending a group meditation in your area.
Enjoy an evening tea or a real hot cocoa
Cozy up with your big warm socks, oversized sweater and soft blanket, enjoy a cup of tea or hot cocoa, and read a book, or watch the fire in your fireplace, or do nothing but enjoy feeling warm and cozy while you sip a nice cup of herbal tea.
Limit electronics time
Social media, gaming, watching Netflix, and working can be addictive. The things we can do with electronics are incredible and seemingly limitless. But, let’s face it, social media can get us pretty riled up, push our buttons, and can sometimes make us compare ourselves to other. Working late can leave us laying away thinking of all the things we need to do, instead of getting some good quality sleep. Both gaming and Netflix can also be dangerous, as time often disappears without us noticing. While all of these things are great activities, they are better done long before we try and get some shuteye. It is said to avoid electronics two hours before going to sleep. This helps our brains go through the normal winding down process and allows the brain to produce melatonin, which is required for sleeping. When we get a good night’s sleep our brains process the events of the day and store them away in our memory bank. Electronics, especially smartphones interfere with our brain’s ability to properly shut down for the day.
Staycation
Make some time for yourself. Easier said that done, I know, especially for all you single parents out there, but if you can somehow swing a staycation, DO IT!!! It’s important for us to have time to ourselves, or time alone with our partner. A night, or even a few hours where you don’t have to worry or fret about things. Just sit back, binge your favorite show, go for a hike, take a mini road trip someplace you haven’t been, nearby of course otherwise it’s a vacation, which would be a great mood booster if you can swing it. There’s no shame in taking a weekend to do NOTHING. Don’t get dressed if you don’t feel like it. Sit on the couch and play video games for two days. Sleep! Catch up on sleep if you need it. Make your staycation look whatever way you want it to, it’s all about making time for you to relax and unwind.
Check something off your bucket list
We all have one, whether we have it written down or not, we may not even admit that we have one, but we do. There are things that you want to do but for whatever reason, you just haven’t quite gotten to it. Doing something that brings you joy, doing it for no other reason than the fact that you want to do it and it brings you joy, is so satisfying, potentially even exhilarating, depending on the task. We live in a world that demands us to work, work, work, be the best mother, father, daughter, employee possible. We forget to do the things we want to do and end up doing mostly only the things we HAVE to do. So, I’m here to tell you that you deserve to do this, you deserve to do that thing you’ve been dreaming of for years but haven’t quite gotten there.
List the good
Make a list of things that make you happy, make you laugh, or that brings a sense of satisfaction in your life. Things you are grateful for, that we often take for granted every day, drinking water or indoor plumbing for example. When you’re having a rough day look at this list. The list of things that make you happy, or your gratitude list, whatever the day calls for, and spend some time thinking about the things on the list. It will help remind us that not every day is dark, and the sun and summer days will be here before too long.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Depression
In no way are we doctors! Whether you’re feeling suicidal, terrible, emotional, or you’re just not feeling yourself, talk to a professional ASAP. You are not alone! There is help out there for you. There are lots of resources, and though finding them can feel impossible and overwhelming, they’re out there. Start somewhere you’re comfortable. Go to a walk-in clinic, either at a mental health facility, or to see a regular doctor’s office. Talk to someone you are close to and are comfortable with and tell them how you’re feeling and ask for their help. There is absolutely no shame is asking for or getting help. Find a therapist, and if you don’t feel comfortable with the first therapist you’re sent to, ask to find someone new, they understand and will not be offended. If need be, and a therapist, counsellor, or doctor is recommending medication and depression is something you’ve been struggling with for some time now think long and hard before saying no. Personally, I’d said no to medication for years, finally agreeing to give it a try is a decision I am grateful for every single day. There are different types of medication and different doses out there. So, if you do try medication and it doesn’t seem to be working for you (keep in mind it can take as long as two months to start working), there are other options. Your doctor will guide you and assist you in making the best decision for you.
Well, I hope this article helps at least one of you see things a little brighter in what can seem to be the longest dullest months of the year. Stay well, try to see the bright side, and remember you’re not alone. Sending lots of bright happy thoughts full of love to all
