WINTER IS COMING AND I'M FEELING S.A.D

Winter is almost here and let me guess, you’re feeling lethargic? unmotivated? a bit sad? 
Yeah, you’re not alone. 


Seasonal Affective Disorder is the medical term given to the low mood many of us feel during the winter months. SAD affects a huge population but twenty something year olds are particularly vulnerable.   Unfortunately I can’t change the seasons, but I can give you some advice. We’re all in this together and its just a few months so sit tight because the sun may not come out tomorrow, but it will sometime in September so don't panic. 


Get up early. 
Its cold and dark outside I know, but the last thing you want to do is snooze your alarm. When you’re feeling depressed, all you want to do is get under your covers and never emerge but over sleeping IS detrimental to your mental health and WILL make you feel tired and sluggish for the rest of the day. When you’re late to rise you tend to achieve less in the day which in turn contributes to your feelings of stress and anxiety. When the days are this short and natural vitamin D is fleeting you’re going to want make the most of what daylight there is, and this means not sleeping through half of it. 


Work it out
Don't skip the gym, you need all the natural endorphins you can get right now and lets face it, winter weight gain won’t contribute anything positive to your declining mood. Exercising will also help increase your motivation and energy levels which can be at an all time low when the days are grey and the sun sets at 4.55pm.  


Resist bad food.
For some reason come winter I stop wanting avocado and strawberry salads and start craving things like donuts and nachos (anyone else?) Don’t get sucked into using heavy foods for comfort over winter, they’re just going to weigh you down and drown your energy levels leaving you virtually immobile.  Processed sugars and carbs create a temporary euphoria that makes you feel initially happier but then causes your mood to drop even further. This can invite feelings of stress and anxiety - text book symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.   Drinking lots of water will help boost your energy levels and eating good complex carbs such as vegetable,grains and legumes create more sustainable energy (obviously alongside a hearty portion of protein). Sugar is a highly addictive substance and if you cut it out of your diet for long enough you WILL stop craving it and you will feel so much better! Contrary to popular belief, you don’t HAVE to spend all winter eating pasta. 


Go outside
Don’t under estimate the power of a bit of fresh air to clear your head and lift your spirits. Invest in a fabulous coat if you need some more convincing, you’ll want to get outside just to show it off. Take in the snow capped mountains and the bare trees, the beach doesn't disappear just because the sun isn’t shining. Staying in doors with your feet off pressed to the heater won’t make you feel good, it will give you chilblains - your mum warned you. 


Look forward
If you happen to live in a concrete jungle (hey Auckland) psychologists recommend getting out of the city every two weeks to break spells of depression. The same applies to those of us living in the far south where sunshine hours are few and far between (Sup, Dunedin). Plan a trip, book flights to Bali, get up the mountain and go snowboarding or if moneys tight jump in the car and drive into a change of scenery. The world is waiting for you just a few miles away from your daily routine, even when its cold out! Make the most of the good things that winter has to offer; book a cabin, play scrabble, watch musicals, read a book, drink hot coco and mulled wine. Literally stop winging about the cold and make the most of it. 


Look after yourself 
Take vitamins (vitamin D, B and C especially) and avoid further winter misery by getting a flu jab. Rug up, buy some cute jumpers in the name of health and wellbeing (you may as well get some new boots while you’re at it). Stay away from binge drinking and other recreational drugs, if you’re sensitive to seasonal depression, turing to another depressant is probably not the way to go.  Treat yourself, get a facial, take a bath, buy a burnt red lipstick, listen to Beyonce, stretch, be kind to yourself.


Look after your friends
Winter depression is ripe among all of us and anxiety levels are at an all time high. Remember that you’re not alone and support the people around you. Visit your loved ones, check in with parents and grandparents, stay active on social media. Go on a date with your single friends, we all know winter is a shit time to be without a significant other. Be attentive to friends and family, this is not a time to leave anyone feeling alone.  One phone call can make more of a difference than you could ever imagine.

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