If you don’t know what SAD is or have never experienced it, it stands for Seasonal Affective Disorder. It’s a type of depression that affects individuals seasonally, generally during the winter months. It is very common. Many people experience symptoms between autumn-spring. If you deal with depression during the rest of the year you may notice your symptoms worsen during the winter months.
- Take care of your space
- Take care of your body
- Go outside & soak up the sunlight
- Acknowledge & honor the season
- Plan things to look forward to
- Supplement as needed
- Reach out!
Take Care of Your Space
I’m very sensitive to my environment so this one is top of the list for me. During the winter months, we spend significantly more time inside. Spring cleaning is great, but winter cleaning is super important as well. Having a clean, organized space can do wonders for your mental health. Use plants, string lights, lamps, candles & other items to create cozy-hygge-vibes. It doesn’t have to cost a lot. If you’ve been working from home, you’ve likely already experienced the struggle of having your home, office, & gym all in the same place. You may achieve a better work-life balance by organizing these aspects of your life. Have a yoga corner. Put your work things away at 5 pm (or whenever you’re done working). Designate spaces & storage for the myriad activities now happening in your home. The status of your physical surroundings can be reflected in your mental state. If your space is cozy, light, clean, & full of (plant) life, you’ll be setting yourself up for success.
Take Care of Your Body
It can be really tempting to turn to comfort junk food all winter, but your body is a system & the fuel makes a difference. Enjoy the whole foods & spices of this season (think hardy vegetables like carrot, potato, & cabbage, squash, apples, oranges, cinnamon, clove, etc.) by cooking a yummy winter meal. Basking in the scents of the season is a simple pleasure. Remember to drink lots of water, holidays can bring a lot of alcohol consumption which is no good for mental health. Rest when you need to, but be mindful of fatigue or excessive sleeping as a symptom of SAD. Try to move your body every day. Just a few minutes can make the difference, bonus points if you go outside & take a walk.
Go Outside & Soak Up the Sunlight
Part of what causes SAD is the shift in daylight. Take it from someone who lives in Alaska…your circadian rhythm is confused. Our body receives signals from light & dark to regulate the production of hormones like serotonin & melatonin. If you can get outside when the sun is out it will help your body with serotonin production. Gear up if it’s cold, take a walk, breath the fresh air, & try to find the beauty in something. Alternately, you can find a winter activity that you enjoy. This year, I’m excited about ice skating, backcountry skiing, & chasing the aurora. It’s okay to binge Netflix every now & then when you need to cozy-up & chill out, but that’s probably not going to be a good long-term coping strategy.
Acknowledge & Honor The Season
The earth has seasons & so do we. Our culture demands that we function at the same level of productivity year-round, but acknowledging the purpose of Winter can be helpful. Animals and plants hibernate & rest during this season. They stock up during autumn to prepare for a season of rest. We can opt to use this time for reflection & turning inward. Work on learning new skills, honing your craft, reading books you haven’t finished, or doing something that’s productive to your growth & rest.
Plan Things to Look Forward to
During COVID things are a little more restrictive, so you might not be able to take that trip to the tropics. You can still plan things to keep you connected & looking to the future. Arrange a virtual happy hour or a time to talk to a friend. Take a weekend getaway to somewhere local. Look for virtual events that you might not have been able to attend if they were held in-person. Practice social distancing & be responsible no matter where you go. Your calendar doesn’t need to be full but social obligations & things that you’re excited about can keep you going.
Supplement As Needed
There are lots of options for supplements if your SAD becomes severe. After several years of dealing with anxiety & depression, I have supplements that I turn to that I know work for my brain chemistry. I recommend consulting with a healthcare professional to determine what will work best for you & your chemistry. Light therapy is another common option that many opt for. This can be especially helpful if you live in a coastal area with overcast winters & little opportunity for catching natural rays. The last thing you need is to catch a cold or get the flu while you’re feeling blue. Support your immune system with herbs like echinacea, turmeric, black pepper, orange, garlic, or ginger. Try making a fire cider to have on hand when you feel something coming on.
Reach Out
Lastly, let’s break the stigma around mental health issues. It’s wild to me that in 2020 anxiety & depression are so common yet some still feel it’s a taboo topic. Call a friend, set an appointment with a professional, or call me if you need to. You are not alone. Reach out for support if you can. Always make sure the person you call has the capacity to help you & get consent. It’s important to acknowledge that your go-to support person may be struggling with their own mental health & not able to hold space for you as well. Mental health impacts everyone because we all have brain chemistry. If you’re having a really bad day, that’s okay. Acknowledge that it was a bad day & make a plan to do one thing that will make tomorrow better. Don’t beat yourself up.
If you love someone who experiences SAD or any other type of depression, listen to them if they’re ready to open up & offer gentle encouragement. Sometimes shame or not understanding what’s happening can keep people from asking for help. It’s helpful to offer support rather than waiting for someone to ask. It’s difficult for people who have never experienced depression to understand why someone can’t get up to do the thing that will make them feel better, but that doesn’t mean the SAD experience isn’t real. Make them tea. Make them food. Ask them to go for a walk with you. Don’t be condescending or act like the solutions are so simple.
No matter what side of SAD you’re on, we’ll get through this COVID winter together.
Thank you for these concrete steps and recommendations! Can you talk more about fire cider or provide a recipe? Sounds interesting!