6 Tips to lift you out of the slump of Seasonal Depression: Guest blog by Anita

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If you are feeling the pinch of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), you don’t have to wait until next spring to get relief. There are several things most people can do to improve their mood and shake off seasonal depression. Check with your doctor about any of the following that may be a change in pace from your usual routine.

Take a Walk

Basic exercise like walking, biking, or swimming is not only good for people physically, but also helps to lift their spirits. Typically it works by improving circulation, getting the body in motion, and connecting them with the gym or the outdoors, all of which can improve the brain’s function and help to enhance your mood, reducing stress.

Listen to Positive Things

Being around good-natured people can also make you feel better. Anything that lifts you up and makes you feel good, even momentarily, is perfect to listen too. Enjoy music with positive lyrics and an energising beat. View comedy films and television programmes.

You might also want to listen to motivational things. Lectures on self-confidence and self-empowerment can help you learn ways to get to and keep yourself in a better mood. If you’re on the go, try listening to positive podcasts with inspirational or motivational messages. Continuous exposure to these will encourage ideas that can influence your mood and help you feel better.

Eating Healthily

With your doctor’s approval, follow an eating plan that will make you feel good as well as look good. Typically this involves three regular meals daily that total about 2,000 calories or however many your doctor recommends as well as a balanced approach with foods from all five basic food groups: dairy, grains, protein, vegetables and fruits, and healthy fats, unless your doctor stipulates otherwise. Avoid eating too much sugar, caffeine, and salt; eaten in large amounts, they may raise your blood pressure or cause bodily inflammation, which may negatively impact your mood.

Get Enough Sleep

Experts generally recommend getting between seven and eight hours of sleep each night, or sometimes as many as nine hours. If you are unable to get that much rest, take short afternoon naps of about thirty to forty-five minutes. Inadequate sleep can contribute to depression, while getting enough rest can help you to feel your best.

Try a New Hobby

When you feel down, sometimes it just means that you’ve fallen into a rut of routine, so try something new if you are able. Find a new hobby to exercise your creativity, whether that’s with dance, painting, photography, or sculpture. You could also take a noncredit class to learn more about a favorite interest or pastime. The goal is to exercise your brain and steer it away from negative thoughts while enjoying fun and different activities. 

Just make sure that whatever hobby you pick up is something you really are interested, not just something that you think you should learn. If you’re not truly interested in your new skill, you likely won’t maintain it in the long term.

Stay in Touch

Often, when we’re depressed, we isolate ourselves. However, while it may feel better in the short term, isolating from loved ones will actually worsen depression. Reconnect with distant family members or old friends. Take care of your current friendships, and be open to meeting new people who share your interests. 

Take a proactive approach to your mental health and reach out for help and support from a medical professional, should you need it. 

 

This blog was by Anita, a freelance writer from Denver, CO, USA. She studied at Colorado State University and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. You can follow her @anitaginsburg on Twitter.