How do you beat the winter blues?
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LizziB
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LizziB
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Last activity on 02/04/2024 at 00:46
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Hello everyone
How are you doing today?
NHS inform recently posted about seasonal affective disorder (SAD)- here is an excerpt, or you can check out the whole article here.
"It’s thought the winter blues, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), affects around 2 million people in the UK and more than 12 million people across northern Europe. It can affect people of any age, including children.
1. Keep active- Research has shown that a daily one-hour walk in the middle of the day could be as helpful as light treatment for coping with the winter blues.
2. Get outside- Go outdoors in natural daylight as much as possible, especially at midday and on brighter days. Inside your home, choose pale colours that reflect light from outside, and sit near windows whenever you can.
3. Keep warm- Being cold makes you more depressed. It’s also been shown that staying warm can reduce the winter blues by half. Keep warm with hot drinks and hot food. Wear warm clothes and shoes.
4. Eat healthily- A healthy diet will boost your mood, give you more energy and stop you putting on weight over winter. Balance your craving for carbohydrates, such as pasta and potatoes, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
5. See the light-Some people find light therapy effective for seasonal depression. One way to get light therapy at home in winter is to sit in front of a light box for up to 2 hours a day.
6. Take up a new hobby- Keeping your mind active with a new interest seems to ward off symptoms of SAD. It could be anything, such as playing bridge, singing, knitting, joining a gym, keeping a journal, or writing a blog. The important thing is that you have something to look forward to and concentrate on.
7. See your friends and family-It’s been shown that socialising is good for your mental health and helps ward off the winter blues. Make an effort to keep in touch with people you care about and accept any invitations you get to social events, even if you only go for a little while.
8. Talk it through- Talking treatments such as counselling, psychotherapy or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help you cope with symptoms.
9. Join a support group- Seasonal Affective Disorder Association (SADA) is the UK’s only registered charity dedicated to SAD. It costs £20 (£10 for concessions) to join, and you’ll receive an information pack, regular newsletters, discounts on products such as light boxes, and contacts for telephone support.
10. Seek help. If your symptoms are so bad that you can’t live a normal life, see your GP for medical help."
What about you? Are you affected by SAD? Which of these tips do you follow to save yourself from the winter blues?
I'll tag a few members to get the conversations stated:
@Heatheranne @Tigger.co.uk @lesmal @Mulligankaren @Kent0956 @lar123 @robjmckinney @wiltshireman @Eileen1956 @brianmac @Mich1969 @Pippadog @Mandy59 @Ray-Ann @mikesalmons @HannahAitken @millerkaren @patric @Faithkitty @VICKICOFFEY @Daveyb73 @YorkshireJayne @laney365 @NannieAnn @NeilRichardCox @judithshapiro @lancsman @chrissie2018 @hinapar @Yank34 @marymack @mjteddy @Elk217015
Take care,
Lizzi from the Carenity team