IMPORTANT NOTE: Seasonal Affective Disorder/Seasonal Depression is an actual mental illness. This article should not be interpreted as a therapeutic treatment for this disorder. This article consists of tips on how to avoid and lessen the occasional sadness that comes with the changing seasons.
It’s common for us to have the winter blues. It gets colder out and turns pitch black well before dinnertime. These things can contribute to people feeling increased fatigue and sadness alongside decreased motivation. Nevertheless, there are ways that we can avoid or reduce the sadness we feel during the winter time. Here are five things that have helped me in the past.
- Meditate
Meditating is beneficial in general for our mental health. However, during the wintertime, I think it’s a very crucial thing to do. Meditating gives you a sense of tranquility, and it’s a great grounding exercise. When you concentrate on your breathing and where you are, it helps you redirect your way of thinking, and it can help diminish the sadness you may be feeling.
- Try to Get Some Sunlight
It’s difficult to get outside once it’s cold out, but with the winter blues, it’s so important to get outside. Because it gets dark out so early, we don’t receive a lot of sunshine during the wintertime. Getting outside and letting the sun shine on you helps with seasonal sadness. Being exposed to light actually changes chemicals in your brain, releasing a hormone called serotonin, which improves your mood! If it’s too cold for you to go outside, or you just don’t feel like bundling up in a bunch of layers, sit inside with open curtains to get exposed to some sunlight.
- Get a Sweet Treat
It’s been a long year, and we’ve all done a ton of hard work and accomplished a lot. We deserve a sweet treat every now and then. Personally, when I’m feeling down, I like to treat myself. Once I get my treat, it immediately improves my mood. So, if you’re feeling down, treat yourself! Go to your local cafe and get a hot chocolate or baked good. You deserve it!
- Talk with others
Socializing is incredibly important! It’s so beneficial to our mental health. I’m an extroverted person. Therefore, I need to talk to people, or I feel like I’m going crazy. During the winter time, it’s difficult to hang out with others because of the cold. Make an effort to stay in touch with friends and family via texts, phone calls or FaceTime!
- Take up a hobby
Lastly, hobbies are a great way to combat the winter blues. In the past, I have found myself incredibly bored during the wintertime, and this boredom partly contributed to my seasonal sadness. However, I picked up some hobbies that filled my time, and it was really helpful for me! Some hobbies you can try are picking up a good book, binge watching tv shows or movies, cooking and writing!