As winter finally settles in and the sun has begun setting earlier and earlier, seasonal depression is back in full force. With the lack of sunlight and cold weather now being a new constant here in College Station, it’s gotten harder and harder to get on with normal life. Instead of dealing with a few bad days here and there, it seems there is constantly an internal struggle about whether or not I have any energy to get out of bed. Or if I have an ounce of energy to expend to go to class and focus on lectures.
While there is no way to combat seasonal depression fully, there are a few things that I do that help me. And I hope they can help you, too!
One of my favorite things to do is find one small thing that I would enjoy doing during the day and make it the highlight of my day. Sometimes, when it seems like the day is dreary and I have no want to do anything, I like to go out and get Starbucks or find a new place to study to get out and make a whole outing out of it. Getting dressed in a cute outfit and doing something that brings me a little peace makes things a little easier.
Another technique that follows making a highlight for your day is sticking to a schedule. As someone who thrives on having structure, it is so beneficial to have a firm schedule to follow. Often, people with seasonal depression tend to have a hard time going to sleep and getting up in the morning. When you set up a regular schedule to follow, it helps those who struggle to get regular amounts of sunlight and ensures that they are eating proper meals!
Lastly, one technique is to make sure to relish self-care. With finals around the corner, on top of having a hard time dealing with seasonal depression, I find that sometimes I forget to take care of myself. Setting reminders to make sure that I set time aside to clean my room, exercise, watch a comfort movie, read, or spend time with friends. I personally believe that being vulnerable with my friends and letting them know how I’m feeling helps a tremendous amount.
The winter months can be tough. But with these tips in your toolbelt, hopefully, they can help make things a little bit easier for you in the upcoming months!