A final note to wrap up this series which I so enjoyed researching and putting together for you! Grey skies, colder climes and drizzly days may not sound so enticing. In fact, this is the season where depression rates are highest. Winter-pattern depression or SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is quite the phenomenon and one to be proactive against. Increased incidences of flu, colds and that general blah feeling (wanting to hide inside under a blanket with tea in hand) correlate with the colder months. As rough as that can sound, there are bright spots to be found and tools to be developed and used to bolster your feelings of well being and stay grounded.
You may be familiar with the concept of digging the well before you need the water. In the context of avoiding SAD and other transitions that may pop up this can look like the below.
Tools to leverage your mindset against the Winter Blues:
Flip your perception: down times can often be the result of our spiralling perceptions. Know that your experience is valid and you absolutely do not need to justify to anyone why you would be feeling down. You can though, be emboldened and encouraged by the thought that how you perceive life events and even things like the weather can have physical and psychological effects on you. What this means in practical terms? Simple internal dialogue cues like “I get to go for a walk outside.” Instead of, “I have to go for a walk outside.” and feeling gratitude for the warm jumper, cozy company, and house you have to come home to after a walk outside. This way of talking to yourself can establish a more positive mindset and the more you practice it, the more fluid and default it will become.
Look for the positives by writing a Winter Dream-List: This is an epic activity to do solo or a super dreamy bonding activity with a friend or your partner.
Think about things like:
- a mulled wine party
- movie night
- exploring some botanical gardens
- checking what local community events are being organised
- trying out a new curry restaurant
- getting in that hike
- learning how to knit or
- volunteering in your community to help those most affected by winter such as the homeless or kids struggling to afford warm, winter clothes.
Get your friends and family on board: Communicate to them the benefits of the season, plan some activities and outdoor things together and offer them a light if you can.
Exercise: exercise is incredibly protective against depression, anxiety and the winter blues. You can aim to either stick to an established routine or use the season as the challenge and motivation to build one! Even a walk outside, jacket on can be a win. Inviting a friend to a pilates class or booking yourself into the gym are also awesome options.
Know yourself: Do you need a to plan ahead for seasons like this? Accepting and working with your needs will lead to better outcomes. The best tools and resources that will work for you can be developed from a place of self-awareness and this is true for many transitions and life events.
Personally, I know my day flows better when I give myself time between tasks to transition and re-focus. I know I’m more motivated to exercise in the morning so I get it in then. I know I love walks in the afternoon to decompress and absorb the things I have studied and observed, to use what I have learned for work or uni assignments. I don’t feel guilty about taking the time to do this and neither should anyone if that is what serves them, their family and their career ambitions best.
Further reading and resources:
Brosse. (n.d.). Exercise and the treatment of clinical depression in adults: recent findings and future directions. Sports Medicine., 32(12), 741–760. https://doi.org/info:doi/
Salmon. (2001). Effects of physical exercise on anxiety, depression, and sensitivity to stress: a unifying theory. Clinical Psychology Review., 21(1), 33–61. https://doi.org/info:doi/
https://www.bcm.edu/news/ease-seasonal-affective-disorder-with-exercise-routine
SaeYond Health 