Combating Depression In The Winter
Cold, dark winters can depress anyone. Most people who live in climates with changing seasons experience the ‘winter blahs.’ People who experience these symptoms to a greater degree may be diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder, a condition that is caused by the lack of sunlight in the winter time.
Although S. A. D. sufferers have more intense symptoms, many of us undergo some change in mood during the winter months. We may feel laziness and an increased need for sleep. The cold makes us want to stay inside our houses. We want to eat warm, starchy, creamy foods that are more fattening than the fruits we might crave in the summertime.
These factors combine and often cause people to feel a slight depression. They feel more isolated, and feel stuck in a rut. For this reason, it is helpful to find activities that will pull you out of your rut. Here are a few ways to fight winter depression.
Learn a New Hobby
We all have things that we’ve been meaning to learn, but have yet to make the time for. Winter would be a great time to pull out that Alvarez acoustic guitar you bought ages ago and still don’t know how to play. Buy a chord book and get started! If you’ve been meaning to learn how to sew, now is the time to do it. Make good use of the extra time you are spending at home.
Leave Your Apartment
We spend so much time in our houses and apartments in the winter that we start to forget the outside world exists. Call up a friend and invite them out for brunch. Go for coffee with someone, or ask your brother to help you shop for the leather brown boots you’ve wanted for months. Simply leaving your house and changing your surroundings can lift your mood and make you feel more free.
Take Up Working Out.
There is nothing like exercise as an antidote for depression. The chemicals that your body releases during exercise lift your mood all on their own. Even if it is too cold to go out for a walk or jog, you can find many ways to work out. Find a video that has an aerobic or muscle workout routine you can do at home. Join a gym if you have the money to do it. There are lots of ways to get exercise.
If you make a little bit of an attempt, the winter blahs don’t have to get the best of you. Try any of these activities, and before you know it, winter will be over and spring will be here!
