Four tips for avoiding seasonal depression

When the weather is cold and the skies are dark and cloudy, it’s easier to feel down and despondent. If you struggle with gloomy feelings during the winter, it’s good to know that there’s help and hope available to you without a prescription depression drug. Of course, you’ll want to check with your physician before making any changes to your health regimen.

Spring is Around the Corner

Some people start feeling down just as soon as the first cold, cloudy day rolls in. Don’t let this happen to you! To stay happy and peaceful during the winter, focus your time and energy on things that bring you joy.

See the beauty that the winter months have to offer. If you’re really struggling to see any beauty at all in the gloom of winter, all you need are a few simple ideas to jump-start your thinking in a positive direction.

Consider these tips to help you gain a more positive mindset during winter:

1. Buy a sun lamp. A sun lamp gives you the light you need even when it’s gloomy outside and works much better to help your mood than just turning on all the lights in your house.
2. Take a vacation. If you can justify the expense, travel to somewhere sunny and warmer each winter, even if only for a couple of days. Looking forward to your annual getaway will lift your spirits during the time before you go, too.
3. Get outside. When the sun does come out, even if it’s otherwise cold, take advantage of it. When your body is deprived of sunlight, it has a harder time making vitamin D. If you can get some sun, though, you’ll feel better and you’ll be better able to make it through until spring arrives with its longer, sunnier days.
4. Find activities that bring you joy. Read that book you’ve always wanted to read or engross yourself in a new TV sitcom that comes on in winter. Perhaps learning to ski or snowboard can bring you the mental and physical benefits of exercising while also finding a way to enjoy the winter weather.

Depression is Treatable - Even if it’s Only Occasional

It’s important to treat depression. If your feelings of depression run deep, you may want to talk to your doctor about the kinds of treatment options that would be best for you. If you’re only getting bummed out and unhappy during the winter, though, focusing on strategies that work during the winter is the best way to shake those winter blues.

You can choose to be joyful. Focus on the things that matter to you and make you happy. Winter is only a season, and you’ll have spring, summer, and fall to do all kinds of great things outside in the sunshine. Remember, anything you can do when it’s dark outside, you can do on a gloomy winter day.

If you have hobbies that lend themselves to indoor activity, you’ll have more to keep your mind occupied as you move through the winter. The cold days will pass more quickly if you have something to do to occupy your time, and spring will arrive before you know it.

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