We are now well into the colder, darker months and I for one know the affect this can have on our mental health and general mood. The reduced sunlight affects our drive to get up and get going in the mornings and staying active after work with the early nights can be difficult.
Its important to remember the very real ‘psychological impacts’ this can have on us and take preventative action:
- Establish what self-care looks like for you and make it realistic: Are you taking time for yourself to keep your mind and body healthy and rested? This can look different for all of us and could just be 10-20 minutes a day.
- Appropriate lighting in the home: We know that ‘blue-light’ can have negative impacts on our eyes and can be sometimes overstimulating for our brain. We also have learnt the value of ‘yellow and warm lighting’ to promote relaxation and feelings of winding down for the day. In more recent times there have been the marketing of ‘sun lamps’ to mimic sunlight and keep our moods regulated throughout the winter periods. These are available in many retailers but you can find links to them
- Spending time with others: I know I regain energy by spending time with friends and loved ones. Being an active part of a community and spending social time together boosts feelings of belongingness and worth. It’s hard to push through the desire to isolate but it is so worth it for our overall mental wellbeing and feelings of resilience.
- Have things to look forwards to: Sometimes we need to man-make a drive by planning things to look forward to and keep us going. Can you schedule in some plans to visit family/friends, get out of your town/usual environment, plan a spa evening at home, girls/guys night, take yourself on a ‘self-date’, check out some local community events going on in your area? It is easy for days to become repetitive and we have to remind ourselves there is more to life than work, eat, sleep, repeat!
If you are really struggling with feeling low and it doesn’t seem to be getting better, it might be time to talk to someone. This should be someone you trust who can help you to find the right support. Your first port of call is often the G.P but you may also find local support groups, mental health charities, and self-help resources to be useful to.
Therapy is a great way to talk to someone without fear or judgement and to get some support from someone outside of your situation. This might be easier than talking to family or friends. If you are ever in doubt, just reach out.