The Winter Blues

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Winter Blues

With winter approaching it is getting colder, things are slowing down, and some are about to face the dreaded winter blues.  Yes it is a real thing.  It isn't just the inconvenience of it being cold, it has to do with much more.  Here are some ideas that might help you through this winter!

1- Brighten Your Home

During the winter it is easy to crave that hot summer sun.  It is important to do what you can to make your home brighter.  You can switch out light bulbs, keep curtains open, trimming trees that would block sun light, rearrange furniture so you are closer to a window, or even go with an artificial sun light.  These are known as light boxes and sitting by one for 30 min a day is all you need.  They are really bright and might make you jittery if you sit in front of them too long.

2- Getting Out of Bed

Sometimes the hardest part about SAD is just getting out of bed in the morning.  One thing that might help with that is an alarm clock that wakes you up with a gradual light.  These are dawn simulators and can really help you get going first thing in the morning.

3- Diet and Vitamin D

It is hard to feel motivated to cook healthy when your cold or down, but eating a balanced diet, can help you though the winter.  Plan meals for the week that would be simple but healthy.  Use a crock pot since the evenings are the hardest when you are naturally fatigued and it begins to get dark. 

4- Keep Your House Warm

We were able to install a wood burning stove because my husband loves to be in shorts and tee shirts even during the winter.  If it is too cold for shorts, we build a fire.  For others, it might be a good investment to save extra money each month to put to use during the winter.  If your house is warm, you will feel more motivated to get things done despite the outdoor temperature. 

5- Exercise

I know it is hard to get motivated to exercise, but it really does help boost moods.  It is best to do a work out in the morning no matter how small or large you can do.  Just starting is the hardest part.  My sister is making a gym at her home with a projector and movies so that they can entertain the whole family as each member does a different machine.  One thing I like to do is run on my treadmill during a song on a movie and walk during the rest. 

I personally would never run outside in the winter but I will on a treadmill.  You can throw on a work out DVD, Youtube a workout, or just do circuits of calf raises, squats, sit-ups, and push ups.  Doing something will be far better than nothing.  You can even do squats and calf raises in a nice hot shower.