Easy self-care strategies that counteract seasonal depression

In trying times, it is very natural for people to lose their optimism through several periods of time. It could be weeks, days, or even hours. This is usually a possibility when one usually spends time alone or around the company of people that they don’t relate to. Whatever the scenario may be, depression does creep up on you like a little insect just to bite you hard enough that it hurts for quite some time. 

In such scenarios you would consider a lot of options such as diverging your mind to something else, considering therapeutic sessions, or simply sitting in the presence of your mind to finally let it go. But no matter what the solution is, the only road to healing is when you decide that it’s time to move forward.

With a lot of us being presently quarantined in our houses, it is only common for us to curl up in our beds with our thoughts taking over our actions. One thing to ensure to keep telling yourself is that you need to understand seasonal depression is not a disease you have to live with, rather it is something that could strengthen you for the better in the future. 

Seasonal Affective Disorder or winter blues or winter depression is a seasonal but severe disorder that impacts several individuals due to the transitions of the seasons – from fall to winter, or from spring to summer.

Moreover, it’s not easy to just “snap out of it”, so understanding and believing that it is a slow process is the first step to redemption. Dealing with seasonal depression is not an easy task, it drains out your energy, makes you question every tiny detail in your life, and primarily it replaces your feeling of hope with fear and a lot of anxiety. 

In such a case, some of the ways you can deal with seasonal depression are as follows: 

Reach Out

Going through depression can be a very overwhelming phase of your life. Every little thing seems a little more harder than usual and patience is a virtue that one can’t seem to remember during such testing times. In such a scenario, it is important to stay connected rather than social. Yes, there is a difference between the two. It is important to stay connected with your loved ones and it is also important to try not to be social as this is one of the times where your vulnerability could get to the best of you. 

Self-love is the best love

While this is one of the most common things we are told, the value of it is usually undermined and ignored. Self-love is as important as loving someone dearly, whether it is your family, life partner or even your pet. Once you start valuing yourself, you would automatically be inclined to have a more positive outreach to a lot of things in your life. 

One of the main struggles amongst us all is that we often fail to see the silver lining during the dark days and it is important to remember the same. Do things that make you feel good whether it is reading a good book, indulging in yoga or snuggling under your precious nectar mattresses.

Get Physical

Keeping yourself in tune with physical activity is a great way to tackle depression. Although it seems like a daunting task to simply get out of bed, you’d be surprised as to how full of energy you would be post-exercising. If you want to take good health a step further, may we suggest an eco-friendly mattress for an extra touch of health? Research shows that going for the best natural mattress is a great way of relieving symptoms of depression is exercising frequently, thereby eradicating it completely in the future.

Keep yourself Healthy & Hydrated

Eating well does make all the difference. Whatever you eat does have an impact on your body and the way you feel. Overeating could be signs of anxiety and depression and could definitely affect you physically and mentally. Reducing caffeine is a great way altogether to make yourself feel better. Similarly, avoiding or skipping meals is a bad idea because this could lead to additional consequences, as well. 

Drinking lots of water and indulging in a lot of vitamins are a great way to tackle depression. But, don’t be compelled to follow a strict diet plan because after all it’s all about healing and you need to be free to make mistakes and learn from them as you grow.

Step Out

While sleeping in your pajamas seems like a safe and secure feeling, it can also be quite monotonous therefore leading to further depression. Hence, whenever possible, step out and take in the sunlight as much as you can.Taking a walk or just lying down on the grass under the sun for 15 minutes can be a great way to soak up that Vitamin D and feel better. If you feel like it’s too much going out, you can open up your drapes whether you’re lounging on the couch or sleeping on a full size bed frame with a headboard, and that would make all the difference.

Challenge the negativity and seek professional help

One of the most common factors of depression is that you’re constantly drowning in your pool of sorrow and negativity. In such cases, what you’d usually end up doing is drawing out possible negative scenarios and then further jump into several conclusions thus making you feel more negative than positive. 

Cross-examining your thoughts are finding solutions – whether big, or small can create a more positive impact on your overall well-being. Moreover if you feel like all these self-care strategies don’t seem as helpful, you could also reach out and seek professional help. Seeking professional help will encourage you to rebuild yourself in such a way that you would be able to establish a trusted relationship with your professional. Additionally, this will also enhance motivation thus helping you heal better.

It is important that you do what seems best for you because everyone has their own story to tell and you decide when you want to share that story to someone else. Try not to brood in your unhappiness for long thinking that this is seasonal and this too shall pass. Stay strong and choose happiness, always.

Learn more about seasonal depression in this article from BetterHelp.