By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Whether seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or the more mundane “winter blues,” it’s not uncommon to feel down during the coldest, darkest months of the year.
Jen Muscato, social worker and a member of the wellness department at F.F. Thompson Hospital, said that to fight wintertime doldrums, “finding simple ways to stay inspired can help you keep a positive outlook when you feel yourself losing focus.”
Looking your best may give you a little lift. Especially if you provide full-time care at home or otherwise work at home, it’s easy to get in a rut of not fixing yourself up.
“Add a little confidence to your step and help defeat the fog of winter by putting extra care into your morning get-ready routine,” Muscato said. “Fine-tuning your self-care can work wonders for your mood and outlook.”
The same goes for your environment. Clutter drags down the appearance of your home and workplace. Muscato encourages people to clean out clutter, organize and refresh their environment with a few new touches. Even rearranging the furniture gives a mood lift for free.
Doing something a little different can also boost one’s mood.
“This can be the year to expand your horizons and pick up a new interest or learn about something that fascinates you,” Muscato said. “Maybe it’s skiing or snowshoeing, meditation or yoga, a new type of workout, jewelry-making, photography, or learning about another culture. Learning new things keeps your mind and body active, and you’ll feel awesome when you check that thing off your bucket list.”
Changing your diet can also help make life more interesting and healthy. Try some foods you normally don’t eat. Work toward improving your diet. For example, nix sugary soda for sparkling water. Reduce or eliminate other sweetened beverages and sugary snacks.
“As a main staple in your diet, this stuff can leave your mind, body, and spirit depleted and at more of a risk for illness and metabolic diseases,” Muscato said. “You probably know that eating fresh, whole foods is the way to go. Whole foods are any foods that are eaten the way they were made in nature, with as little processing as possible. They can include seeds, nuts, legumes, whole grains, eggs, some meat, and pretty much any fruit or veggie. Try to include at least a small amount of fruit or veggie with every meal.”
Improving your sleep by going to bed and rising at the same time each day can help you avoid feeling “sluggish, irritated and overall uninspired,” Muscato said.
It’s also helpful to include enough time for relaxation without screens involved.
“Mindfulness researchers at Harvard have seen that consistent meditation helped people sleep better, feel less stressed, and experience fewer symptoms of depression,” Muscato said. “Meditation can also help you get to know yourself better and help you deal with difficult emotions. You can download cool apps to get started easily.”
Consider dropping activities and commitments that don’t interest you, even if you feel obligated but they’re not really necessary. Muscato also encourages volunteering, which studies show can lift the mood.
The darkness of winter days represents a big reason behind why many people feel down during winter. Exposure to sunlight affects the body’s hormonal balance. To help mitigate that effect, Monica Sirianni, licensed mental health counselor with Rochester Regional Health and manager of home-based crisis intervention, said that daily light therapy from “light boxes” that mimic natural sunlight can help.
Instead of hibernating, embracing the cold can help one through winter months. Sirianni encourages gearing up with layers and skid-resistant boots and taking a walk. Try ice skating, skiing or snow tubing.
At home, get into the winter groove through practices that soothe.
“Look up slow cooker recipes and consider comfort foods but also foods that can bring nourishment,” Sirianni said. “Researching recipes and spending the mindful task of putting together stews, soups, and slow cooker recipes can bring a sense of comfort. Taking a hot shower with different aromatherapy can help to center ourselves in a space of self-care.”
Try to connect with other people. Make some plans to catch up with friends, visit relatives or see a movie you’ve wanted to watch.
If you find that a low mood doesn’t pass and you don’t seem to feel any better, Sirianni encourages consulting with a healthcare provider or behavioral health therapist.
“Seasonal affective disorder is real, and not given enough attention,” said Genevra Petito, who owns Super Girl Fitness in Rochester and holds a degree in exercise science. “As one who has experienced intense depression in the middle of winter I have found ways to manage it with meds, diet, lifestyle and regular exercise. I take Wellbutrin and it works for me. I eat three meals a day and get 8-plus hours of sleep. I had to give up drinking wine because it was making SAD worse.”
She tries to cut herself slack during winter as far as workouts, as rest may be what she needs if she’s not up to engaging in a hard workout.