27 Jan How to fight seasonal depression?
Every year, as the days get shorter and the light dims, some people suffer from the “winter blues” or seasonal depression. This seasonal affective disorder affects about one person in 10, mainly women.
Lack of natural light is the main cause. In fact, during fall and winter, the brain secretes more melatonin, which in turn results in a lack of energy, low morale and food cravings.
If you feel like hibernating and spending the winter under the comforter, there are simple solutions to boost your energy.
First of all, you can appeal to light therapy. Some doctors or hospitals offer exposure sessions to a special lamp. You can also buy one of these to expose yourself quietly at home to the right amount of light (30 minutes to an hour from time to time will be enough). If the disturbance is mild, you can simply increase the light intensity in the rooms where you are staying.
When we suffer from winter depression, we tend to throw ourselves on food, and mainly on sweet “comfort food”, which is briefly good for morale but has a high cost, when weighing on the scales. Several solutions exist to avoid putting on weight: a short detox, a balanced diet such as including soups, fruits and vegetables, fish or grilled white meat. And let’s not forget a vitamin cure.
You can do yourself good by taking care of yourself. Beauty treatments at home or at a clinic are highly recommended, as are massages. Thinking of others is also recommended. What if you gave some time to a charity or humanitarian association? Take advantage of your free time to walk, do sports and change your mind. You can also go “window-shopping”, go to the movies or the theater, or organize a meal with your friends! Of course, you can aim higher by going on a trip to a ski resort or to the sun. There’s nothing like a change of scene to help you forget about your depression.
A good night’s sleep is essential for recovery. Take advantage of a break to take a nap of 20 minutes maximum. Try going to bed earlier and waking up more slowly. A dawn simulator, which recreates optimal sunset and sunrise conditions in your bedroom, can be a good idea.
Finally, if you think you are suffering from seasonal depression including more serious emotional problems (permanent sadness, melancholy, suicidal thoughts, loss of interest in life…), don’t delay in finding help from a therapist who works on managing emotions and unconscious blocks.