WINTER BLUES
Do you ever feel overly sad and tired when the Winter comes? Well you’re not the only person. Seasonal depression is a REAL thing. I remember a few years back my bestie and I had a conversation about feeling extra tired and lethargic when the clocks turned back an hour, and it turned out that Seasonal Affective Disorder [commonly known as SAD] was probably the reason. SAD normally occurs in climates where there is less sunlight and causes people to feel moody, tired, fatigued, and the list goes on. They say the reason you feel extra tired is due to the lack of available sunlight. It causes your internal clock that regulates your sleep and hormones, to shift.
I used to wake up around 5:30am for work, so when I would leave home to go to work it would be dark, and when I would leave work to go home, it would be dark. It would hurt my soul knowing I couldn’t enjoy the sunlight when my workday was over. Now living with a Pandemic and working from home, this year, those who are affected by SAD might be hit even harder. Being stuck at home more than ever, with limited places to go if (or when) COVID cases rise, will be tortuous.
Today I wanted to share with you guys a few things that might help soothe your seasonal depression, check them out below!
Light Therapy:
They say light therapy is one of the best ways to combat SAD. My bestie introduced me to the light box she purchased and it was mind blowing. The simulation of the sunlight helps relieve anxiety and tends to be a mood booster. Amazon currently has various light therapy lamps, but this one has great reviews. Click Here
Exercise:
Any kind of exercise is said to activate dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain. These chemicals simply make you feel good and regulate your mood. Take some time to step away from the computer when working from home and do a quick work out. The good thing about this is, you don’t even need any heavy equipment, just throw up an easy YouTube video and you’re good to go! Check out this super easy, at home workout here.
Find Your Support System
It's easy to want to isolate yourself from people during the colder months [even more during a Pandemic], but find your feel-good people and hold onto them tightly during these times. These are people that bring you happiness and good energy. Make time for them, whether in-person or via zoom. Be sure to plan small things and add them to your calendar so you have something to visually look forward to! Something I do often is send Google Invites when making plans with friends [my best friend introduced me to this], for some it might be annoying, but for me, visually seeing I have something to look forward to, makes me happy. Spending time with your feel-good individuals often help shift your mood. See someone becoming withdrawn? Reach out to them, be each others support system!
Make Time For Self Care
Today I was feeling extremely gloomy, so I took the time to pretend I was at the spa. I showered with a Coffee Body Scrub, applied a Foot Scrub and filed my heels, I stepped out of the shower feeling like I was floating. I then applied a leave-in conditioner in my hair and brushed the knots out [THIS IS RARE], applied a face serum and lip mask. Something about doing all of this left me feeling rejuvenated.
Here are the products that I used:
Frank Body Original Coffee Scrub
Diana's Candles & Soaps Minty Foot Scrub
African Pride Moisture Miracle Coconut Milk & Honey Leave-In Conditioner
These are all small but helpful ways to help combat seasonal depression, but remember, what may work for me may not work for everyone else, but trying it doesn't hurt.
Hope you all have a happy week ahead!
With Love,
From Bindi