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I am not going to sugarcoat this because dealing with winter blues can be tough...
While you can be enjoying scrumptious stews, cosying up in front of the fireplace with a good book or taking long walks in your favourite park, they can instead make you feel like the world has stopped and there is nothing you can do to come out of this debilitating state of mind.
However, the silver lining is that the solution is within your reach. Winter blues or SAD need not take over your life and disrupt everything you do. Instead, you can use these 5 remedies to deal with them effectively and feel like yourself again!
Exposure to natural light plays an important role on how you feel when it comes to winter blues or SAD as discussed here. It is this reduced encounter with sunlight in the short winter days that leads to one feeling sad, depressed and highly anxious. The answer to this problem lies in one simple and effective remedy, i.e. light therapy.
You can utilise both natural and artificial methods to carry out light therapy. Grab as much of the daylight as possible by doing long walks or light exercises when the sun is out.
Additionally or alternatively, invest in a good light therapy box and spend some time in front of this magic case (20-90 min each day) which imitates sunlight to manage symptoms of SAD. Beware, however, that the regular fluorescent lights used in our homes don’t have the same affect!
Remember, it is the unavailability of light that is the cause of your depressive state in the first place. Getting yourself exposed to more light, natural or artificial, is therefore a powerful remedy to heal yourself.
We all know about the importance of a healthy diet and supplements in maintaining good health. These are equally important when dealing with SAD or winter blues. Your diet can have a huge impact on how you feel, particularly when experiencing something as mentally disturbing as SAD.
Reduce sugar intake and avoid foods that are rich in carbohydrates since these will make you put on excess pounds and therefore further lower your self-esteem. Instead, opt for fresh vegetables and fruits of the season such as pears, beetroot, carrots, oranges and broccoli to get nutritional value as well as feel good.
Additionally, keep your vitamin D levels in check because these can be directly affected by the amount of sunlight you get. Vitamin D is not only an important nutrient to keep your bones going strong but also aids in treating depression. The best part is that if you do not have enough access to sunlight, you can use supplements to make up for this deficiency.
Consider taking Sash Vitality’s ‘Vitamin D3 4000 IU’ capsules that are chosen by hundreds of satisfied customers to maintain their vitamin D levels and therefore sustain their mental and physical well being effectively.
Being physically active and doing regular exercise never harmed anyone. However, this practice can be particularly effective for people struggling with winter blues or SAD who are crippled by a strong desire to sit or lie in one place all day, binge eating unhealthy food to their heart’s content.
Exercising releases endorphins, which are chemical substances that are found to boost the mood, reduce stress and instil an overall feeling of optimism, amongst other things.
Engage yourself in aerobic exercises such as walking, running or swimming or go for strength training workouts such as weight lifting tolift up your mood, increase circulation and take back control of your life.
Cognitive behaviour therapy is found to be immensely effective in treating symptoms of SAD. Some studies even suggest that the positive effects of a cognitive behaviour therapy, particularly designed to deal with the specific issues of participants, are even more long lasting than any results that can be achieved with light therapies.
Cognitive behaviour therapy works by influencing the negative perceptions of a person about a particular subject, in this case the cold winter months.
Additionally, you may consult a doctor for getting prescription drugs such as antidepressants that can alter the brain chemistry that is associated with winter blues or SAD.
While this may seem hard for a person dealing with winter blues or SAD since these disrupt your ability to engage in meaningful activities and live life to its fullest. However, with a little effort, you can slowly begin to come out of this depressive state and feel like yourself again in no time.
Pick up a new hobby, start a new project or plan a trip to a tropical region. You can also try and step-up your socialising game by interacting more with friends and family.
Moreover, try to engage with a support group that includes people with a similar condition like yours and share your experiences to make bearing them easier.
The above remedies do not include an exhaustive list of things you can do to alleviate symptoms of SAD and enjoy winters like you would prefer. However, you can try to figure out what works best for you and get involved in other activities that seem to help you get out of the funk.
Let’s begin the sharing right here. Type in your experiences in the comments section below and let others know they are not alone in their struggles with winter blues or SAD.
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