For some, the winter season represents celebrations, family, food and fun. For those who suffer from Seasonal Assertive Disorder, this time of year epitomizes boredom, cabin fever, anxiety and depression.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons and begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you’re like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, zapping all your energy and altering your moods. SAD affects half a million people every winter between September and April, peaking in December, January and February. The “Winter Blues,” a milder form of SAD, may affect even more people.
I, unfortunately, am afflicted with SAD. When you grow up soaking in the endless sun in the south then move to a city known for their long brutal winters, adjusting to a polar opposite climate is not easy. Grey skies, below freezing temperatures and being confined to the walls of my house is not my idea of a magical winter wonderland. Usually after the excitement of the holidays fade, I have a hard time staying motivated and develop anxiety. I’d also much rather sleep all day then go through the painful task of getting out of the house when it’s cold.
After several years, I finally learned to embrace wintertime by incorporating some new behaviors and activities into my daily life. Here’s how you, too, can curb your winter blues:
1. Flee for a weekend or two. If you can escape, do it! Break up the winter months and travel to warmer climates. It’s amazing what a few days of fun in the sun can do for you.
2. Brighten up your life. As the sun starts to disappear into the witness protection program, bring the light to you. There are a variety of special lights you can bring into your home for “dawn simulation” which give the right amount of rays to re-energize you. You can also take Vitamin D supplements to help you get through the days of gray.
3. Get a hobby. Remember all those Pinterest ideas you pinned and never took a second look at? There’s no better time than the present to revisit all those projects. Having something to do is a sure way to take your mind off of all the snow outside.
Read the full article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/holly-rust/8-ways-to-curb-the-winter_b_8572034.html