How I Manage Seasonal Depression
Well, it's snowing again. It's not that I don't like snow (I live in Maine, after all. Unless you're lucky enough to get out of dodge for warmer climates in the winter, you better freaking like snow), it's that winter came so fast this year. But this year, for the first time – possibly ever – I feel as though I've actually made the recent time change work for me as I prep emotionally for the coming season. A radical idea, I know, especially when the sun begins to set at 4pm and the days feel about 10 minutes long and the nights endless. I've been getting up early and actually going to bed at a decent hour for once. But as winter gets closer – I mean... let's not kid ourselves, it's here – I'm also extremely wary that this feeling of accomplishment (victory?) might not last. This time of year has a tendency to make me feel as though I'm standing on a precipice, teetering on the edge of The Cliffs of SAD. If you've ever dealt with seasonal depression, perhaps you can relate. One wrong move, a moment of letting my guard down, and it's all downhill from there. That happened last winter, with not enough movement or social interaction, and frankly, it sucked. So this time around I'm actually being proactive and doing something about it. Wild, I know. Here's what's been working for me:
Rise with the sun (and go to bed early). Because the days are now so short, I've been setting my alarm to go off just before sunrise (around 5:45 AM). Early, yeah, but I want every bit of sunlight I can get, and I'd rather go to bed early and lose a bit of nighttime than lose those precious daylight hours. In order to get up this early, I'm usually in bed by 9/9:30 PM and turn out the light by 10. Turns out this is the key to waking up early: actually going to bed early and getting adequate sleep. Also worthwhile because a good night's sleep affects mood, which pretty much affects everything else. Sleep, guys... who would have thought?
Early workouts + sunlight. Along with getting up early, I've switched most of my workouts to take place first thing in the morning. This wasn't easy and still involves a lot of self-motivation/arguing with myself while still under the covers. BUT I feel like a superhero afterward and I love that I get my workout out of the way first thing and don't need to worry about scheduling it in during my workday (weekends are usually more active anyway). Along with hitting the gym (remember that quote from Legally Blonde? "Exercise makes you happy"? It really, really does), I make sure I get outside and get some natural light first thing. Exposure to sunlight helps regulate circadian rhythm, helps the body produce vitamin D, and actually helps you sleep better at night (that whole circadian rhythm thing). The sun's not always cooperative, so I plan on supplementing with a sun lamp this winter.
Another thing I tell people when they inevitably ask me how I deal with the winters here: Winter sports.
If you live where it snows or deal with any kind of seasonal depression, getting acquainted with a few winter sports like snowboarding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing can be a serious lifeline for mood and happiness this time of year.
Adding the right supplements. Namely, vitamin D3 to offset the lack of sunlight, and melatonin to support better sleep. I'm clearly not a doctor, so please talk with yours before taking any new supplements but these have both helped me a lot. I also use Lion's Mane to support concentration and Chaga for overall wellbeing (I love both these products - I blend the Lion's Mane into coffee and drink the Chaga like tea), and magnesium for digestion and calm. Additionally, I eat a ton of fermented foods for a happy gut. Not exactly supplements, per se, but the same idea.
Ditching (most) sugar + easing off caffeine. I'm officially old: I drink decaf now. A few months ago I started weaning myself off fully caffeinated coffee by mixing decaf grounds with my regular grounds and I'm now at the point where I can handle maybe one cup of fully-caffeinated coffee, but not much more. Cutting out caffeine and most sugar has made a huge impact on my anxiety levels, quality of sleep, and generally just made me feel so much better.
Socializing. This is actually pretty radical for me. For whatever reason, moving to Portland has been a boon for my social life and I've found myself to be far more outgoing than ever before. Because I work from home most of the time and don't have the built-in community of going to an office where human interaction is guaranteed, I have to schedule in plenty of time with friends and with Chris. I find that if I'm feeling low, most of the time just getting out of the house and interacting with other humans is an instant mood-lifter.
I wouldn't call these changes revolutionary, but they've made an enormous impact on my mood over the past few weeks and this year I'm actually feeling a lot less doom and gloom when it comes to the impending season. Have you dealt with seasonal depression? I'd love to know your tips!
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