Summer is over, fall is almost over, and soon the days are going to be short, gray, and gloomy. A lot of experience an overwhelming feeling of sadness and impending doom when the seasons change from warm, bright summer days to days of gray dreariness, but like we always say, we’ve got science on our side and there are a number of science-backed ways to beat seasonal affective disorder. First, let’s talk about signs and symptoms that you could be one of the many people that in fact have SADs.
(image via: allure)
Often these signs and symptoms appear in the late fall or early winter, and most people find that they go away once sunny spring days return. Symptoms often start out mild and become more severe as the season goes on. Signs and symptoms of seasonal affective disorder look a lot like:
- Feeling sad or down day after day, all day long
- Loss of interest in things you once enjoyed
- Feeling sluggish
- Oversleeping
- Appetite changes such as craving more carbohydrates, overeating, and weight gain
- Struggling to concentrate
- Feeling of hopelessness
The good news is there are a number of easy, low-cost ways you can beat seasonal affective disorder. Let’s take a look!
Stick with a schedule
During the winter there is always the temptation to hit the snooze button on your alarm a little longer or opt-out of doing things because it’s dark, cold, and gloomy out, but studies have shown that not only are people capable of figuring out ways of sticking to your routine but that people that do this become much more adjusted to the winter days.
Get moving
Exercise gives you endorphins and endorphins make you happy. (What? Like it’s hard?) Working out is also a way to pump oxygen to your brain which makes you more alert throughout the day. So even if you’re just getting up, stretching your body, and taking the dog for a quick walk, you’ll start to feel a lot better.
(image via: shape)
Consider a dawn simulator or lightbox
Just as the name states, this little machine mimics dawn breaking and the goal is that you’ll wake up naturally with this artificial sunlight. If a dawn simulator doesn’t sound like something you’re interested in, then consider a lightbox. A lightbox emits around 10,000 lux and you’ll sit near this lightbox during the most low-light times of the day. The whole idea is that it supplements the natural light you’re missing out on. Studies have shown that people are pretty split; some prefer a dawn simulator while others prefer a lightbox.
Cozy up
It’s time for a little reverse psychology on yourself. If you go into winter thinking and saying that you hate this and that about, then guess what? You’re going to have a bad time. Look for ways to cultivate coziness all around you like burning cozy candles that smell incredible, having cozy movie nights nestled under a big warm blanket, or making your steamy showers a whole spa experience, and if that doesn’t sound like fun to you, then at least stop saying and thinking about how much you hate the season. The mind is a powerful tool when it comes to beating SADs.
(image via: o & h bakery)
Take vitamin D
Doctors often urge patients to up their vitamin D intake during the winter since low levels of vitamin D were common among those who struggle with seasonal affective disorder.