Escaping the winter blues and seasonal affective disorder.

Seemingly overnight winter has arrived with a bang and a lot of rain. The shorter days, reduced sunlight, and colder weather can lead to the winter blues, or in some cases, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Sleeping more, tiredness, feeling sluggish, low mood, less socialising and overeating are all signs and symptoms to look out for, and if they continue beyond a few days, it’s worth checking in with your GP.

The good news is that winter will pass, and spring will return! 🌱

In the meantime, you can look after yourself through this cooler season by;
☀️ Embrace the sun when it shines. Sit in the sunshine or next to windows, open up curtains, and make your environment as bright and sunny as you can.
🌿 Get outside. Go for a walk, play at the park, picnic outside, enjoy a hot coffee outdoors.
🏃‍♀️‍➡️ Exercise regularly. Not only does exercise reduce stress and anxiety, it can lift your mood and is a great physical outlet. If rain is preventing you from your usual exercise, swap it out for a different activity but keep the movement routine up.
😴 Normalise your sleep patterns. As tempting as it can be to sleep more in colder weather, try to stay consistent. If a lazy day is in order, relocate to the couch for reading or tv and save the sleep for night.
🍓Nourish your body with nutritious food. Eat a balanced diet and resist the temptation to carb load or comfort eat excessively. Eating the right food helps fuel your body to keep moving rather than giving in to the temptation to hibernate.
☕️ Catch up with friends. Keep your social connections open, make a phone call, go for a walk with a friend, enjoy nights in together. Socialising is important in so many ways.
💆‍♀️ Get a massage. The warm treatment rooms, rest time, and the positive physical and emotional effects of massage are all incredibly helpful in all seasons.