Models Direct look at how you can deal with feeling down during the winter...
The winter blues are not unusual for us to experience in the colder months. Our mood can be directly affected by the lack of sunlight, cooler temperatures, and terrible weather during the final season of the year.
In some cases, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) tends to rear its head and drive us through the coldness leaving us feeling agitated, moody, hopeless, lethargic or other symptoms associated with depression. According to an article by Bupa, “SAD affects up to three in 100 people in the UK at some point in their life.” People of all ages can experience it including children, and women can be hit by the blues four times more than men. This statistic is quite worrying but there are ways to help so contact your GP and see what options are available.
If you’d like some helpful touchpoints to help manage the winter blues, keep scrolling for Models Direct tips.
Catch the sun
Our bodies need the sun for the production and generation of sunshine vitamin D, maintenance of bone health, decreasing blood pressure, and promoting good mental health. However, the sun’s rays are not something we can readily access when daylight saving time kicks in at the end of October. Keep an eye out for the sun whenever you are out and about, and soak in the rays even if it’s for just 10 minutes. Alternatively, purchasing a light therapy lamp is a great way to get those sunshine rays into your home.
Plan ahead (and stick to them!)
The miserable weather can mirror how we feel inside. That get-up-and-go drive can come to a sudden halt during the colder seasons so another way to beat the blues is to have some weekly activities set for yourself. Whether that’s meeting a friend, attending a club or even going out for a walk. It’s quite easy to feel demotivated and find ways to reverse plans. Whatever you choose to do, see it through and ensure that you do something for you without fail.
Be mindful
Mindfulness is an excellent technique to follow through all year round but can prove beneficial when you are feeling down. The concept behind the practice is to take a pause and be aware of your surroundings and how you are reacting to yourself and to everything you see and feel. It’s a great way of pulling yourself out of your busy schedule and reflecting on the smaller, simpler and finer things in life.
Talk it out
One of the best remedies is to talk to someone about how you’re feeling. Whether this is with a relative, friend or professional, talking can lighten the load and give you ease if you’re experiencing a difficult period in your life. Expressing your worries and looking at things from a different perspective can help release the anxiety and tension you might be feeling during the colder seasons.
Models Direct hope that these tips help and encourage anyone who is feeling low to speak to someone you trust, catch as much sunshine as possible and to schedule something weekly for yourself.
