Snowbound? Here Are Some Tips To Avoid Winter Blues

Avoiding The Winter Blues And Not Going Snowbound Crazy

With all the predictions of big snowstorms blanketing the Northern US areas, the winter blues is not just a cute saying because you can’t wear your swimsuit. Living in Vermont for nine years, I can personally attest that it does exist and the term “Snowbound Crazy” has real meaning to those with so much snow shoveled in front of their home, they can’t see the street anymore. Getting ready to just go to the grocery store requires at least 10 minutes of prep time in order not to freeze your butt off! Let’s not even talk about the prayer you say before you get in your car that it will start and warm up before you reach your destination.

Making light of this seasonal blues most of the time is mostly just feeling house bound. But there is an actual depression disorder called (SAD, seriously), a type of depression that’s called seasonal affective disorder. SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you’re like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody.

Don’t brush off that yearly feeling as simply a case of the “winter blues” or a seasonal funk that you have to tough out on your own. Take steps to keep your mood and motivation steady throughout the year. Some of the symptoms of SAD is:

1. 1. Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day.
2. 2. Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed.
3. 3. Having low energy.
4. 4. Sleep disruption.
5. 5. Changes in your appetite or weight.
6. 6. Feeling sluggish or agitated.
7. 7. Having difficulty concentrating
8. 8. Feelings of hopelessness, worthless or guilty.
9. 9. Dark thoughts of the value of your life.

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From the experts, here are some suggestions that will help if you if you find any of the above-mentioned feelings abnormally strong.

1. Behave like you’re from Minnesota. These people adapt! They love it. They make a trip to L.L. Bean in the fall, get all the necessary gear, and go ice-fishing, ice-skating, snowshoeing, and do everything in their power to appreciate the elements. Get out and play in it. Even the simplest snowball fight and sledding day will give life this energy.
2. Wear bright colors. Yes! Your wardrobe color can change your state of mind, making you feel more optimistic. From someone who is earthtone, monochromatic in their wardrobe color palette, I got around that one with bright accessories. It falls into the category of “faking it ’til you make it” attempts to trick your brain into thinking that it’s sunny and beautiful outside, even though there’s a blizzard with sleet going on causing some major traffic jams.
3. Take more Vitamin D and B12. Since we get most of our vitamin D from the sun, it’s a good idea to take a vitamin D supplement during the winter months along with B12, which will help with energy and depression.
4. Make a book and movie list. Winter is a great time to get to those books and movies you’ve been meaning to read and watch. Since plenty of research has indicated that humor can relieve pain, pick movies and/or books that will make you laugh, happy endings or a good romance.
5. Try something completely new. It is called neuroplasticity, the brain changing and developing over the course of our lives. And yes, you can teach an old dog new tricks. We are not stuck with the same brain waves we were born with. We can learn a new skill and rewire our brain to think differently about the snow and our winter captivity, even if it is trying out a new dinner menu or a beginner’s yoga. It will open your brain’s desire for more new possibilities.
6. Use a sun lamp. If you are a sun worshipper, it is the very thing that will put that smile back on your face. Sunlight also affects our circadian rhythms (physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a daily cycle).
   Bright-light therapy has proven to be an effective treatment for SAD. Most people get the best results when they use a lamp before 10 a.m.
7. Sit by a fireplace. It’s primal and so consoling about staring into the embers and warming your hands by their heat. If you do not have a real one in your home, buy a fake one. They will do the trick and are not that expensive. Curl up with a cup of cocoa and a good movie or book.

Susan Z

Susan Z Rich is an emotional addiction counselor, spiritual intuitive and holistic therapist. She counsels others to see life in a more positive way and teaches personal accountability for life choices. She is also the author of several children’s books and Soul Windows…Secrets From The Divine.