How to deal with the late autumn doldrums

— September 21, 2016

A lot of people struggle through autumn, feeling all the energy they had during the summer disappear along with the leaves from the trees. There’s good reason for this: As technologically advanced as we are, we’re still slaves to our circadian rhythms. Because the shorter days mean less exposure to sunlight, our internal clocks are telling us to hit the sack when it’s dark outside.

When you think about the coming winter, is it with excited anticipation about bundling up and getting outdoors to enjoy cold-weather sports—with the reward of luxuriating in front of a fireplace with a hot chocolate afterwards? Or do you picture only bitter cold and dreariness, which makes it hard to get out of bed in the morning, and even harder to leave the house? If you’re in the second group, don’t worry—there are ways to improve your outlook and shake off this lethargy as winter approaches.

at home, open blinds and curtains, and spend as much time as possible in the brightest rooms

at work, especially if your desk is far from a window, get outside for a walk at lunchtime

increase the artificial lighting in your environment

if you’ve let your exercise regime lapse, start it up again. This will improve your spirits as well as your physique. If you can’t take it outside, set up a home gym in a room that gets lots of natural light

use your indoor time well by cooking up healthy meals with lots of veggies, and avoid eating too many carbs—the cooler weather might have you craving them

get your sleep on an even keel by keeping regular bedtimes and setting your alarm for the same hour

pamper yourself with a spa day, or regular massage appointments

plan a winter getaway to warmer climes, and bolster your mood by daydreaming about it

However, if you find the lead-up to winter is getting you down to the extent that you can’t shake it off, and you can’t function properly, it’s possible you have a form of clinical depression known as “seasonal affective disorder” (with its perfectly apt acronym, SAD), and you should seek medical help.

http://www.cmha.ca/bins/content_page.asp?cid=3-86-93

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195/DSECTION=symptoms