Do You Struggle With Your Mental Health During The Winter Seasons?
Many people find this time of year and going into the New Year a difficult time. It might be related to Christmas, but it can also be a result of the changing seasons. You are not alone if this is you and this condition is actually recognised as SAD, seasonal affective disorder.
It is explained by the NHS as a type of depression that comes and goes with the change of the seasons. The symptoms are normally more apparent and severe during the winter and so it can be referred to as winter depression.
Symtoms of SAD
As with everything else, the symptoms of SAD are different for every person, however there are some that are common and these are:
- Feeling low
- Excessively tired
- Social withdrawal
- Irratibility
- Carbohydrate cravings
It can be very hard to continue with day to day life if you are experiencing these symptoms. So what can you do to help yourself?
Here are some ideas of self-care you can practise:
- Go outside during the daylight
- Brighten up your environment
- Eat well
- Exercise (outdoors if you can)
- Keep a diary (to find any patterns in your symptoms)
- Talk to a therapist
Self-care and affirmations
Self-care and affirmations can help to keeo your mental health healthy and I want to make that easier for you. I have created some self-care and affrimation jars to help self-care and affirmations be easier in your day to day life.
Each jar is filled with something different and gives you 100 days of affirmations or self-care ideas to keep you going each day. There's one to prompt you with journaling, one for mindfulness and one linked to the menopause too.
If you would like to take a look at the jars then follow this link Click here to buy
Light Boxes
You can also try a light box which is thought to help with the symptoms of SAD. This is because they are designed to increase the production of serotonin (a hormone that affects your mood) and reduce melatonin (a hormone that makes you sleepy.
It is recommended that you sit by the lamp for 30 minutes a day, normally in the mornings. If you think this is for you then take a look online and do your research first!
There any many things you can do to help yourself and as you can see, these include looking after yourself and brightening up each day, in terms of the light you see.
If you try these self-care ideas and still struggle with your mood, it is recommended that you see your GP. They may advise you to take medication, even if it is just for a short time.
