If you suffer from SAD, winter with its dark days and colder temperatures can be a particularly trying time of year. It can be very hard to stay positive but there are some ways you can boost your mood and increase your ability to cope with the often debilitating symptoms that seasonal affective disorder can bring.
Get Outside
Although the causes of SAD are not entirely known, there is evidence to suggest that lack of sunlight exposure has a large part in causing the symptoms that can occur.
When you get outside in the daylight, you expose yourself to lovely doses of Vitamin D and, consequently, the positive effects of increased serotonin. Without these you can be prone to much lower energy levels, stress, sleeping too much and general feelings of low esteem which can lead to depression.
So try to go outside for a walk every day if you can. A good walk will help to expose your skin (even if it’s just your face) to the sunlight and will go a long way to providing you with an adequate amount of mood boosting Vitamin D. Exercise is another fantastic mood booster so if you can, make sure you get your heart working to pump lots of blood and oxygen around your body - this will work wonders to combat low moods everytime.
If walking is a struggle or you just can’t get out, try wrapping up warm and sitting outside at lunchtime for a warm cuppa. Keep your blinds and curtains open if you’re at home to try to maximise the sunlight coming into your house.
In winter you could also take a daily Vitamin D supplement to boost your levels.
Eat Well
When you’re feeling low it can be very easy to reach for junk foods with little nutritious value. If you drink alcohol, it can also be a time when you might drink too much, leading to a vicious cycle of constantly needing to drink to fight off your increasingly low moods.
However, eating a healthy, balanced diet has been proven to have enormous benefits for your mental wellbeing. And the more you get into the habit of healthy eating the more your body craves the good stuff.
What should be on the menu? Plenty of fruit and veg, as well as bananas, brown rice, oatmeal, oily fish, walnuts and flaxseeds - they’re all filled with omega-3 fats which boost serotonin and keep you feeling positive.
Set a Goal for each Day
This might not immediately appeal to everyone, but having a lack of focus to your day is a fabulous breeding ground for depression, low self esteem and lack of motivation.
Setting yourself a project or a goal - which might be as simple as planning and going for a nice walk, or maybe it’s a task you’d like to complete at home - gives you a reason to get up and to get going each morning. It keeps your mind on track, keeps your day structured and, when you’ve completed your task (or even just had a go at starting it) you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and positivity.
Don’t forget that you’re allowed to have a fun goal - it doesn’t have to be useful or productive, just achievable.
Sleep Well
Feeling low or depressed can be intertwined with sleeping too much. In turn, sleeping longer can increase a person’s depressed state.
So while it feels perfectly natural to sleep a bit more when the nights are long and the temperature has dropped, you should be mindful of not sleeping too much.
If you’re sleeping more than 10 hours each day, you could be much more prone to low esteem, lethargy, depression and lack of motivation. People with SAD might feel that a daytime nap could improve their state of mind, however, extra sleep is often detrimental to this. It’s far better to try to exercise, or put your mind to your daytime goals, or to reach out and seek some company during the day so that your mind and body are tired in the evening when it is time to settle down to bed.
Practicing good sleeping habits can help you to get the seven to eight hours of quality sleep you need. Go to bed at the same time every night and have the same wake-up time. Avoid caffeine and alcohol too close to bedtime. Regular exercise can improve sleep quality, too. Lastly, make sure your bedroom is comfortable and free of distractions.
And remember
For most people, SAD does lift once the winter is through. So just remind yourself that this will pass, this won’t last forever. Try to have something planned for spring time to look forward to or to work towards so you have something good to reward yourself with after your season of sadness is through.
If you think your low mood is becoming a greater problem and is preventing you from functioning then you should seek help from your GP. Perhaps a general health check will reveal something that can be easily treated and, with treatment, your mood and self-esteem.
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December 2020