09/30/2020
Check out some tips from Pillars of Wellness about the upcoming season change!
The sun is shining with the last remnants of warm summer days, while the crisp cool air of fall is being ushered in. It's a great time to get your pumpkin spice (literally everything), cozy up with a book and embrace this beautiful day!
While many experience fall season with excitement and joyous fall events, others sense the looming nature of mother nature's turn towards darkness and colder weather.
This year, like none in most of our lifetimes, has had a quasi hibernation period longer than we have ever experienced. While a positive psychological approach would encourage you to embrace this time of respite and slumber; many are on guard for a fall and winter season that could have increased levels of depression, and for those who have previously experienced aspects of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), getting support and staying ahead of this is now more important than ever.
Winter is coming. It’s inevitable, but countries who experience cold weather longer than the U.S. have lower numbers of SAD than we do. How could this be? They attribute it to embracing “coziness and pleasures of little things.” The Danes refer to this as "hygge" where Norwegians use the term "koselig". Think about what makes you feel cozy. Is it sitting around a fire reading a book? Or eating a cup of warm soup with your loved ones? Or even snuggling on the couch with a warm blanket watching your favorite Netflix show? Find what makes you feel cozy, comfortable and connected in these upcoming winter months and welcome this time of respite and reflection. In addition to embracing cozy comforts, many who do well in cold winter months tend to have a growth mindset (looking for growth opportunities and embracing challenges) towards cold weather and tend to enjoy and participate in more winter oriented outdoor activities.
If you've experienced aspects of SAD, been diagnosed in the past, or just want to experience a more positive wintertime mindset this year; here are some tips to consider:
1. Exercise.
2. Find ways to stay connected with family and friends.
3. Maintain a healthy sleep pattern.
4. Spend more time outside.
5. Meditate.
6. Engage in healthy eating.
7. Find coziness.
8. Participate in winter events.
Finally, as mental health professionals we are already seeing individuals with a history of SAD taking preventative measures and establishing a relationship with a therapist. If you've never tried therapy before, it could be as simple as working through the above list and finding ways for you or a loved one to incorporate new behaviors or mindsets that improve your overall health and wellness! The keen insight in the potential concerns of the coming season can be the difference between being blindsided by this mood altering time and staying a step ahead to maintain a proactive approach towards your mental health.
Please feel free to reach out to us or contact a local treatment provider, so you can increase you hygge/koselig this winter.
Check out our therapists here: http://www.pillarstherapy.com/our-clinicians
