Holiday Stress 2023
December 6, 2023
Reading Your Own Story
December 20, 2023
If the short, dark days of winter leave you feeling tired, grumpy, and miserable, there are things you can do to help yourself. It is important that you pay attention to your mood and take care of yourself sooner rather than later. There is no prize for struggling through winter feeling miserable.
Pay attention to your mood and energy levels, noticing what helps you feel better. Build those activities into your routines. You can do this on your own, or better yet, talk it over with friends or family and make it a team effort. Here are some of the basics to start with:
GO OUTSIDE IN THE MORNING
A 10-minute walk in the morning, even when the weather is crappy, generally helps. Exposure to sunlight (even when filtered through constant clouds) makes a big difference to your brain and body. Moving is good for you. If 10 minutes is too much, just get bundled up and go outside to sit or stand. Simply looking at the horizon and noticing the nearest bit of nature helps. Then go in and drink a warm cup of tea or simply enjoy the warmth of your home.
DANCE BEFORE LUNCH OR DINNER
While you are preparing your food jazz up your energy levels with a little dance party. Tell your phone or gadget to play dance music (or choose your own) and shake your tail feathers. Or, if you are more exercise minded do stretching and wall planks. Moving your body and listening to upbeat tempos sends the message to your body and brain that you are alive.
WATCH “I Love Lucy | Lucy and Ethel at The Chocolate Factory” *
Humor is good for the soul. You can also find a terrible joke online and then send it to a friend. I like “I used to be addicted to the hokey pokey … but then I turned myself around.” I hope you are smiling. Find things that are funny and then share them.
*Yes I know, I am showing my age with the ‘I Love Lucy’ clip. That’s ok, you be you. Better yet email a good joke to me at resilience@learnmodelteach.com.
CONSIDER A LIGHT BOX
If you know you respond badly to long winters, consider a light box for prevention. There is solid research behind the benefits of light boxes. These are lamps that shine the kind of light that boosts positive neurotransmitters. There are also some risks, so do some research before you buy and use one. Verywellmind.com has a solid article covering some of the basics.
ASK FOR HELP FROM A PROFESSIONAL
See your doctor, therapist or reach out to a crisis helpline, 988 is the universal phone or text line. If you know winters are difficult, if your mood sinks to the point that you are miserable, or can’t get going with your day-to-day life, reach out for help. Again, there is no prize for struggling alone. You deserve to feel better.
Take care of yourself during these winter months. December 22nd, 2023 will be the longest night this year. The days will get longer. Still, there will be weeks of cold, grey weather. One bad day can feel like forever. Print out these ideas, share them with a friend, create a club to beat the Winter Blues – whatever works for you. Know that spring is ahead of us and we can get there together. Take action to care for yourself, you deserve it.
Peace,
Laura A. Gaines
To learn more, explore learnmodelteach.com for tools, videos, and coaching opportunities.
