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- Shower and get dressed. It's completely OK to indulge the urge to ignore personal hygiene and wear the same sweatpants all weekend when we are feeling low.
- Clean up. A cluttered, unkempt environment can make us feel like life is out of control. Some of us are more sensitive than others to environmental disarray, but all of us can benefit from selecting one or two things to tidy up and getting started.
- Listen to a motivating podcast or guided meditation. Insight Timer has hundreds of dharma talks that help promote helpful mindsets and perspectives. The Heart Wisdom podcast by Jack Kornfield and the Daily Stoic podcast are my favorites when I need to feel validated by also gain some perspective.
- Exercise. Sorry that you don't feel like getting off the couch. If you truly want to feel better, this is the fastest way to achieve it. It almost never fails.
- Take A Break from The News
- Boost Your Mood with Food
- Keep Up Your Sleep Routine
- Do Some Physical Activity
- Try The 10x10x10 Plan
- Call on Your Support System
- Seek Out The Sun
- Light Therapy
- Seek Professional Help
- Consider Medication
Being indoors more often means an increase in screen time. And if this time is spent consuming a non-stop news cycle, you may feel an increase in the winter blues. To help minimize stress, sadness, and despair from the news, try to limit the amount of time you spend in front of a screen. If possible, schedule one hour for news. You can watch this i...
A simple change to boost your mood is to consider the food you eat. Consuming protein with breakfast, lunch, and dinner can enhance mood and prevent sugar and carb cravings later in the day. Also, including foods high in vitamin D such as fatty fish, fish oil, and vitamin D fortified foods like milk, orange juice, breakfast cereal, yogurt, and othe...
Sleep is a huge component of mood. Without adequate, regular sleep, psychologist Kelly Donahue, PhD, says our circadian rhythm can get disrupted, which also disrupts cortisol rhythms and impacts hormone production. To improve your sleep, Donahue recommends: 1. Go to bed and wake upat the same time every day. 2. Follow a simple bedtime routinethat s...
Physical activity has been shown to boost mood, decrease the symptoms of depression, and reduce stress.Start slowly and build up to 30 to 60 minutes a day, five days a week, of aerobic exercise, strength training, yoga, or other fitness-related activities. Getting outside daily, even for a few minutes a day, can make a huge impact on your mood and ...
It’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed, lethargic, and unmotivated to exercise when feeling depressed. So, instead of committing to one longer workout, break the time up into chunks. For example, if your goal is to walk 30 minutes a day, divide the time into three mini-workouts of 10 minutes each. Take one walk in the morning, another in the early a...
Loneliness and isolation tend to make the effects of the winter blues worse. That’s why your support system, which may include friends, family, co-workers, and sponsors, should be on speed dial. “If 2020 taught us anything, it is that human contact and socialization is important to our mental health,” Gaveras says. And when you are dealing with the...
Getting outside needs to be a priority during the winter months. Since SAD symptoms are worsened by a lack of sun exposure, soaking up the sun—even in winter temperatures—is critical. Being in the sunlight helps balance serotonin activity, increases melatonin production, balances your circadian rhythm, and increases vitamin D levels, which can lead...
If you’re not finding relief from some of the more low-level interventions, you may want to consider light therapy. This form of treatment is common for people diagnosed with SAD. The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) recommends sitting in front of a light boxfirst thing in the morning for 20 to 60 minutes. Light boxes usually provide 10,...
If lifestyle modifications and other low-level interventions do not provide enough relief from the winter blues, consider seeking professional help. Psychotherapy is highly recommended to treat depressive disorders and would likely benefit any individual suffering from SAD. More specifically, the NIMH says cognitive-behavioral therapy(CBT) has prov...
Your doctor or a mental health professional may recommend a medication for mood disorders if you are experiencing more than the winter blues. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors(SSRIs) are often used to treat SAD. The Federal Drug Administration has also approved the use of bupropion, another type of antidepressant, for treating SAD.
- Lace Up Your Running Shoes and Get Moving. Getting at least 20 minutes of vigorous activity four times a week has been shown to reduce depressive mood, says Dr. Gollan.
- Set Your Alarm Clock and Stick to a Sleep Routine. Tempting as it might be to sleep in on dark mornings, it’s best to stick with a regular sleep schedule — which means waking up at the same times on weekdays and weekends.
- Queue Up a Stream of Laugh-Out-Loud Films. Experts believe that laughter actually stimulates processes in your brain that counter depressive symptoms.
- Warm Yourself Up With a Mug of Real Hot Cocoa. It’s a good idea to make a few tweaks to your diet during the winter, says Susan Kleiner, PhD, RD, author of The Good Mood Diet.
Jan 4, 2023 · How to Beat Winter Blues. Fortunately, winter blues will subside on its own with the warmer, brighter days of spring. But there’s no reason you have to wait until then to feel better. Here’s a look at some proven remedies that can have you feeling happier and more energetic now. 1. Eat a Serotonin-Boosting Diet
- Dress warm. Did you know that just wearing the right clothes can make a HUGE difference? When I first moved to Utah, I was a poor girl from Hawaii and I didn’t have winter coats or anything warm really.
- Stay hydrated + get enough sleep. Doing the basics of self care goes a long way. I carry a water flask with me and know that in one day I need to drink and refill it three times.
- Keep busy. This. Is. Huge. Plan your days so that you have stuff going on—not crazy stuff like going out everyday, but little things like setting aside time to clean the house, take a nap, go on a walk, try a new hobby, cook food… keeping yourself busy helps alleviate the winter blues.
- Get outdoors + natural lighting. Put those warm winter clothes on and get outside! You’ll be surprised at how refreshing the air feels. If you can get outside when there is sun, do it.
Feb 17, 2024 · Even Better. How to handle the winter blues, no matter where you live. What seasonal affective disorder can tell us about ourselves. by Jessica Furseth. Feb 17, 2024, 11:00 AM UTC. Chasing the...
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Dec 13, 2023 · The darker days can have negative effect on your mental health, leading you to feel sadder and gloomier in the winter than you do in the summer. But there are ways to take control of your mood during the shifting seasons. Read on to discover the nine most effective ways to fight the winter blues, according to therapists.
