Seasonal Affective Disorder is very real.  We can help.

Stick to healthy habits

It can be easy to overindulge with the rest of the crowd during the holidays. However, one of the best things you can do to make sure you feel good, mentally and physically, during the holidays is to stick to your healthy habits.

Here are some tips:

Make sure you have a good meal or snack before heading to a gathering.
Maintain your workout schedule.
Get enough sleep.
Take time out to breathe, just be and breathe.

Reach out

You may be surprised at how many people are alone or feel depressed during the holidays. Reach out to those that uplift you or perhaps that you uplift and make a plan to get together during the holidays.  This can be small or large, whatever makes you enjoy.

Here are some tips:

Make a coffee date with a friend.
Go to the gym once a week with a buddy.
Plan a movie date to see a new movie!

Start with a therapist now

Finding a therapist now for a potential need during the holidays can relieve a lot of stress ahead of time. Starting to see a therapist now can help prepare you for the coming season and give you some tools that can help prepare you better for any down moments you may experience.

Take Vitamin D Supplements

With the weather getting colder and the sky becoming cloudier, many can experience vitamin d deficiencies. This lack of light can have many feeling more lethargic and down than usual.  Adding vitamin d supplements into your normal routine can help to combat the negative effects of the winter weather.

Light therapy

Light therapy is one that mimics the outdoor light that you may be missing because of the winter weather. Participating in light therapy can cause a “chemical change in your brain that lifts your mood and relieves the symptoms of SAD”.

Talk to your health care professional about your own light box options and recommendations.

Make a holiday to-do list

Sit down with a pen and paper and make a list of all the activities that you would like to do for the holiday season and make plans for them. This could include making cookies, listening to your favorite holiday music, watching your favorite holiday movie, or going ice skating.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is very real.  We can help.

Be Realistic

There can be a lot of pressure during the holidays on making them perfect. Remember that each holiday does not have to be like the last nor does it have to be like those in the holiday gift shop window.  This might mean finding new food to make for the holidays, finding new ways to engage with relatives, and embracing new traditions of your own.

Put the Phone Away

Put down the phone. It is very tempting to want to see what others are doing on social media, however, comparing the hightlights of their season with yours is not the healthiest.  Feel free to take a break from social media and create your own highlight reel.

Allow yourself to say no.

Sometimes saying yes to everything can leave you feeling rundown and overwhelmed. Find your own balance so that you can still do what makes you feel happy and feel calm.  If there are engagements you can’t miss out on, perhaps remove another engagement from your list to balance that time with you time.

Why say no when you can say yes?

Yes, you may have the time.  Yes, your schedule. may be open.  However, ask yourself if it is best for you.  Make time to schedule time for you to mentally regroup and recharge before your next social outing.

Find the Funny

The holidays can seem like a big mess of chaos. When you start to feel overwhelmed or stressed, take a step back and find some funny. This could be in the form of a comic or funny movie. It could also just be as a game for yourself to find something amusing in the situation.

Try Therapy Beofrehand

The holidays can bring up a lot of anxieties, including your own ghosts of Christmas past. Whether you are dealing with old ghosts or have anxiety around parties, presents, or family, it is a great idea to jump into therapy ahead of time. In therapy you can learn the tools to put your mind at ease for the Christmas season and prepare yourself with strategies to actually enjoy the holidays.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is very real.  We can help.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20047544

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/in-depth/seasonal-affective-disorder-treatment/art-20048298?pg=2