A Blue Christmas

I do hope you aren't one of the many which suffer from the winter blues, but if you happen to, please go here and here for a few tips and tricks.

Much Love,

Lindy
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eeping the winter Blues at bay: Tips on healing seasonal depression

The happiest time of year can be a joyous event followed by a cold and often gloomy January and February.  Many of us suffer symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I live in a small cold Utah town, where it snows a lot; we also get trapped under a fog of pollution known as the inversion. It is fair to say winter can be cold, dreary and a bit depressing. 

Symptoms of SAD may include: excessive sleeping, difficulty staying awake, weight gain during the winter months, fatigue where you cannot maintain your routine schedule, sadness and irritably. 

If Jack Frost seems to bring winter depression as his honored guest each year, may I offer a few suggestions from own personal experience that may help you avoid turning to medication. 

Get out in the cold. It may seem an odd suggestion, but it works. Last Friday I was feeling crumby at best. I felt as if I hadn’t seen a glimpse of sunlight all week. I spent most of the week lining up a tender to care for my daughter so I could spend Saturday on the ski slopes with my husband. My depressed state turned into something worse and I spent the better part of the evening hugging the porcelain, as it were. Saturday morning came, seeing as I had already lined up a sitter I was determined to ski. As we drove up the canyon we began to rise above the smog in the valley. My mood changed as I began to see the sunlight, though my stomach bug was still in full swing. When we arrived to the mountain the air was cold, and the sunlight brilliant. After a few runs in the fresh air I began to feel better. By the time I went to drive home I had magically healed without taking one drop of medication. 

Sunlight, which is hard to come by in the winter, is one of the best cures for SAD. Some therapists recommend placing a florescent light in your home, or purchasing a specific light box. My personal therapist purposed taking a trip to the tanning salon once in awhile, suggesting the exposure to light as well as the warmth may make a difference in my mood. If possible arrange your working area closer to a window, and when the sun is up open the blinds. 

I’m lucky enough to live in a place where I can ski. I have personally found skiing makes a dramatic difference in coping with SAD.  If this is not a possibility for you, make a family sledding trip, or maybe try ice skating. 

I’m sitting here writing this after yet another fabulous day on the hill. To tell you I believe getting out in the cold, whether to sled, skate, or even better to ski will begin to fight the looming depressive state which accompanies so many of us during these cold and dreary months. Fresh air, cold wind on your face, sunlight and little fun may be just what the doctor ordered. Getting yourself out of the house and into the cold may make a worthy and welcome substitute to medication.

If your symptoms don’t seem to lessen it is a good idea to have an evaluation from a medical professional.