Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Are you like me and struggle with your mood during the winter months? Do you start to lose your mojo and feel sluggish as the days get shorter? That is how I feel. I just can’t be bothered and I find little enjoyment in anything.  The  change in my energy and mood as the nights draw is really noticable. I really have to have a word with myself and take actions to stop me going under. SAD is now a recognise condition.

It feels like depression but always creeps up on me in Autumn. People can experience it in other seasons, though. Booking a break away in October helps me to postpone it. Here are some other things that I do to help myself.

1. Spend as much time as I can outside, even when cloudy. If you are working long hours inside a Light therapy lamp might help. I was really bad in the days that I went to work and came home in the dark. We didn’t get a lunch break often, but if I did I would take the opportunity to sit in the fresh air. I am still bad at going for walks outside when it is raining, though, even though I know it does me good.  Giving myself a purpose to walk helps. This might be to go to the shops, or to forage.

2. Don’t isolate myself. I just want to snuggle in front of the log burner and hibernate in the winter, or stay in bed.  However it is important to stay connected with loved ones and friends. Spending time with my grandson or daughters really lifts my spirits. Mr S and I organise outings, or I meet up with close  friends.

3. Keep moving. It is so easy to spend hours in front of the telly or watching netflix. We try to go for a walk each day but if the weather is too bad I have a bop around the kitchen to my favourite dance tunes. Othertimes we use the boxing gloves and mitts to get out heart rate up.

4. Cut out the snacks and making the meals a special occassion by setting the table and using my best pots. I like to eat a few  brazil nuts to improve my mood, green leaves, and immunity boosting berries.

5. Do some self care. I like to watch the flames in the woodburner but some people like to use candles to relax. This year I will be sipping my herbal teas whilst doing it. I use these long days and evenings to slow down,  rest, and recuperate.  Planning my next growing season reminds me of things to look forward to. Some people plan holidays. I will often rewrite my bucket list of places that I want to visit. Another bucket list is of things and places that I want to experience during the colder months. I also try to learn something new.

6. Do some grounding. We always have breaks away to the seaside in winter, even if it is just for a day. I like to take my shoes and socks off and feel that energy filling my battery. When I am out walking in woods, I will touch the bark of trees or place my hands on boulders as I sit. Keeping my connection with nature is important to me.

7. Find a hobby. This year I intend to find a hobby that I will enjoy and will hopefully be useful. I am not a knitter or sewing type (my needlework teacher will verify that as I never finished the school apron). In the past baking was a hobby, but with continued rises in the cost of energy, I will have to find another way to be creative. I have just joined the U3A as they have different clubs that over 55s can join. The annual fee for my local U3A is £15 a year.

8. Celebrate. Last year instead of dreading winter I celebrated it. I arranged meals will friends, walks, marsh mallows and sparklers by the fire pit, and we took flasks of hot chocolate when out walking. Our local garden centre had beautiful Christmas decorations with little model villages. My grandson loved visiting there.

9. Make sure that your home has as much light as possible and open the windows for some fresh air. I spend time sitting in my conservatory as it is the lightest place in the house.

10. Eat plenty of nutritional food. Warming squash soups with a piece of cheese on toast is my favourite. Winter squashes are often on offer at this time of year and they store for months.

11. Work through your feelings by talking to someone or maybe journaling. I write poetry to explore my feelings, journal, or sometimes I do a big dump on to a piece of paper with all of my negative thoughts and emotions.  The paper then burned to symbolically get rid of them as they go up in smoke. It sounds daft but it helps.

12. I try to give myself purpose for the winter. Growing and preserving food is my purpose for summer and then I feel lost when that finishes. Often it is decorating or a decluttering goal, or to make something for my home.

13. Don’t over load yourself with appointments, meetups or anything that will stress you out. Spread things out and don’t  put pressure on yourself. Have compassion for yourself if some things don’t  get done.

14. Fit some regular relaxation into your life. It may be yoga, meditation, or just listening to soft music. There are lots of free apps.

15. Don’t use chocolate or alcohol as a crutch. You will feel worse. I binged chocolate one year and put on a stone. That made me feel even more down as my clothes were uncomfortable.

16. Get dressed each day and have a wash or a shower. It would be so easy to stay in PJs and not brush my hair or make an effort to stay clean. If I get ready first thing as part of my routine I find that I am more motivated to go out or do something positive.

What do you do if you experience SAD? Remember, if your mood really drops, and impacts on your every day functions for more than a couple of days, seek help from a GP, or some kind of therapist.