Christmas, New Year’s, and most recently, Valentine’s Day — this stretch of winter holidays can seem utterly endless. Many look forward to these circles on the calendar as time to spend with family and friends. But for many others, it’s simply not the same. In fact, for a lot us it can be downright depressing to even think about approaching holidays. That feeling of dread can rise from a plethora of sources – from not having any family or friends around to spend them with, to suffering the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.
Also known as the “winter blues”, SAD is a type of depression related to the change of seasons, and is usually most prevalent during the fall and winter months. Factors such as cold weather and the lack of sunlight that typically accompanies wintertime can make it difficult for those affected to even get out of bed in the morning. To help combat these effects, here are five tips for handling your Seasonal Affective Disorder.
1. Keep Active: Being outside and getting natural light rays is a major key to getting through the winter blues. Soaking in sunlight can give you a natural boost of energy and help put a little more pep in your step.
2. Start a New Hobby: Another excellent way to keep your mind off of the holidays — or whatever is causing you to be depressed — is by focusing on a new hobby. It could be anything: painting, journaling, sewing. Staying occupied — both physically and mentally — can help distract you from the things making you upset.
3. Chat with Family and Friends: Talking with family and friends can be a load off of your shoulders, and an effective way to ensure you’re not keeping your depressive feelings inside. Find someone you trust and feel comfortable being open and vulnerable with during this difficult time. Even though everything in you might want to isolate and keep to yourself, I challenge you to make an effort to keep in touch with those you care about. Try accepting more invites to social gathering/events (and actually going!).
4. Craft a “Happy” Playlist: There’s a song for virtually every human emotion, and in this case you’ll definitely want to listen to music that is upbeat and cheerful. One of my personal faves when I’m feeling down is Ledisi’s “Alright”. It’s an exuberant tune that emotes a very positive overall theme — that despite whatever challenges or discouragement you may face, it’s all going to be alright in the end. (Feel free to comment with what your favorite music to listen to is!)
5. Eat Better: This has surely been said numerous times before, 
but keeping your body healthy from the inside out makes an incredible difference in the way you feel. Being cooped up in the house (and especially during the holidays) can give you a greater urge to fill up on junk food. But as the saying goes, you are what you eat — so make sure you have veggies, fruits and proteins readily available. And maybe most importantly: don’t forget to drink a LOT of water! It’s time to start increasing your water intake to half of your body weight. I know it sounds like a lot, but it makes such a big difference in how you feel and how you function.
Of course, all of this is much easier said than done. But you can do it! It’s time to get through the winter blues and start becoming you again. Do you have a strategy for overcoming SAD that we missed? Let us know in the comments!
About Samantha Saunders: Mrs. Samantha Saunders is a Resident in Counseling in the state of Virginia who has been in the mental health field for over 8 years.
