Have you ever felt your energy get completely zapped during a cloudy day on campus? Ask anyone trudging up Bruin Walk on an especially gloomy day and they’ll probably say the same. Seasonal depression (also known as SAD or seasonal affective disorder) is something that people living in LA shouldn’t have to worry about. But if you’re like me, gloomy, cloudy days are enough to make the end of fall quarter especially exhausting. Here are 5 powerful ways you can fight back on changing moods and take control of even the dreariest of days:
- Turn on all the lights
-
I know, I know. I laughed about this one too. Did you know working in a brightly lit environment, even for just an hour is enough to hack you circadian rhythm and make you feel more energized? This is a very quick and easy way to make your body think it’s bright and sunny outside and I guarantee you it’ll at least make your mood a little better than before!
- Put on some beach party music and vibe
-
You’ve already got the lights on full beam, so let’s take it a notch up and set the mood for summer. You don’t really have to put on beach party music necessarily, but listening to music that makes you feel energized is a great way to set your mind up to finish up that paper you were procrastinating on.
- End your Steaming hot showers with a cold jet
-
This one could be a very controversial one, but a few short seconds of a cold spray after a hot shower always gets my heart pumping. Maybe pair it with blasting your favorite song at the moment so it’s not as painful (and to mitigate overall grumpiness). Go ahead, try it once, you’ll thank me later.
- Go outside and look at the sky
-
To continue with the theme of outlandish recommendations, here’s one that may (or may not) directly address the problem. In all reality though, moving around in nature is a great way to get the dopamine pumping into our brains and releasing all the feel good hormones that we would on a good day. I’m not saying go crazy, but spending a couple moments enjoying the weather might actually do wonders for your mood.
- Commiserate with your best friends
-
A gloomy day is amiss without at least one comment about how gloomy it is today. But fear not! Hanging out with your best friends, even if it’s complaining together about the weather, is always a wonderful way to get your mood up when the seasons are changing.
As the seasons change and we get busier, it’s important to take care of ourselves in whatever way we like to cope and improve our moods. I hope the little wacky suggestions in this article at least spurred on a chuckle and at best are something you can remember next time you wake up depressed on a gloomy day.