Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) is definitely a real thing that affects plenty of people.
Even if you haven’t been diagnosed with it, you can still feel blue with the pressures of the holiday season, weather change, and the loss of daylight hours.
Focusing on your mental health and being kind to yourself is an important part of self-care. Here are 3 ways to remain positive when you feel that the winter weather is starting to get the best of you.
1. Take a walk.
The benefits of exercise and the consequential endorphin release have been touted far and wide. We all know that exercise helps with depression.
But often times when we’re feeling depressed or down, we don’t have the motivation to start exercising, and it’s often the last thing we want to do. But going for a walk requires less motivation but produces the same results.
Go outside, breath in some fresh air, move your body a little, and drink in the beauty of winter. By the time you’re back home, chances are, you’ll feel refreshed and take a step towards happiness.
2. Socialize
Another thing that’s not always easy to do when we’re feeling down is to socialize.
But being around other people and talking to people you like and care about, can have an enormously positive effect on your mood. The majority of the time, if you can force yourself out the door, you might end up having a really good time.
Creating new memories, remembering how central we are to our communities, and feeling the positive energy of others, are all incredibly beneficial in fighting the winter blues.
3. Do some planning.
Feeling stuck in a rut is a common contributor to S.A.D. One way to combat this is by planning for the future. Any kind of planning will do the trick: for a vacation, for a move or a return to school.
Even planning to take a class, attend a workshop, or to start a new hobby, will help you feel excited about your life again.
Making a plan, doing research on where and what you wanna do, and working out the logistics is often half the fun of any new experience.
Creating a plan that makes you feel like your life has a new freshness, excitement can bring a renewed sense of anticipation and it is a great way to deal with your seasonal slump.
4. Take a vacation!
Granted, this isn’t an option that’s available to everyone, but if it’s within your means, taking a vacation is probably the best way to combat S.A.D.
Especially if it’s to somewhere warm! But stepping back from our real, everyday lives, and spending time relaxing, resting and rejuvenating, can boot those blues right out the door.
So if you’re feeling down this winter, try to find a way to get away, whether it’s an overnight trip to the next town over, or a seven day romp in the Bahamas, and watch your icky mood melt away.
Image: iStock
Reflect & Refresh 