Originally published on Relish Growth.
This post will share six ways to cope with winter depression.
Just like everyone else, I also struggle with winter depression in one way or another. As it gets colder, I stop working out and just start binge-eating until I gain weight.
But this year, I’m determined not to allow the weather to get to me. Instead, I’m planning to hopefully make the best use of this season.
Also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it is a type of seasonal depression that comes and goes. While a few people experience it during the Summer, it is a more popular condition during the wintertime. Hence, its nickname, ‘winter depression’.
Many people experience SAD one way or another, but they just don’t realize it because they’re probably unaware that it is an actual mental condition with a name.
But if you’re anything like me and you’re trying to be more intentional about coping with your winter depression, then this post is for you.
Here Are Six Helpful Ways To Cope & Manage Winter Depression (to avoid losing your mind)
In no particular order;
Don’t stop working out.
At the moment going to the gym has become a routine of sorts for me over the past few months. I’ve been able to be consistent with my gym routine since Summer, and I’ve seen significant gains.
But right now, I’m dreading the cold season, where I reduce or outrightly stop my visit to the gym simply because it is too cold.
While my concerns are valid, I’m going to push myself this year as much as possible. Even if I stop, I’ll try and supplement my routine with home workouts. This way, I don’t miss out completely.
Working out consistently uplifts my mood and energizes me to be productive. Doing this is one way to combat winter depression.
Eat comforting & heartwarming food.
I don’t know about you, but I have different diets for different seasons. For the summer months, I reach out for more cooling foods.
On the other hand, in the winter months, I gravitate towards heartwarming foods, notably soups. Nothing else beats a heartwarming hot bowl of soup on a winter night. It is everything and then some.
So, make sure you adjust your diet to include food that will uplift your mood. If you haven’t got one yet, this is the time to invest in a crockpot for your soups.
Take your Vitamins.
Your adult responsibility is to ensure that you’re looking after your overall health. Everyone knows how much the lack of sunshine for extended periods of time affects our mental and general health.
So, make it a priority to take Vitamin D daily and other necessary supplements you’ve been prescribed.
Be as busy as possible.
While everyone loves to take the holidays off after a long year, you don’t have to be completely idle. If you’re easily prone to winter depression when you’re idle, you must fill your days with activities. I plan to continue taking my solo trips as much as possible.
I don’t want to wait until it gets warmer to travel. I’ll also continue working on my blogs to generate the best income during the holiday season. So, read a bunch of books, practice a craft or travel.
Keeping your mind busy and occupied will help you stay productive and prevent you from slipping into winter depression.
Use Mood Boosters.
My favourite mood boosters right now are scented candles. I’m currently using a Red Velvet Cake scented candle that smells amazing. I try to invest in quality candles as much as possible because I know how much they help improve my mood.
I also employ simple self-care ideas by taking long showers, matching all my shower scents and doing extensive nighttime skincare routines. Anything that I can consistently do to uplift my mood.
So, create a list of things you enjoy doing that positively impact your mood and make sure you’re doing them regularly.
Wake up Earlier.
As we would have shorter, brighter days and longer, darker nights, it only makes sense to wake up earlier to maximize all the daylight. It might be a bit of a struggle to adjust your body clock, but in the long run, it will help your mental health so much.
So, try to go to bed early so you can wake up early. If you have to use an alarm for the first few weeks, go right ahead.
In Conclusion,
I hope you have found these tips on how to cope with winter depression helpful. Hopefully, the incoming season will be suitable for all of us.
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