I’ve lived with depression and anxiety since I was a young girl. Back then, my parents didn’t really know how to help me because mental health issue was a highly avoided topic. As I grew older and my depression began to affect my marriage. As a couple, we decided to work on this together and began researching alternative ways to help me. We noticed that my depression is much more manageable during the spring and summer months, Yet around October, it would be much more challenging. I know others deal with depression as well; today’s post is on 5 Tips to Prepare Your Mental Health for Winter.
You’ve probably heard people joke about seasonal depression. It’s no laughing matter. Seasonal depression greatly affects all kinds of people. Whether the person usually has depression or not, when winter comes around, a lot of people become depressed and unhappy.
One reason for it is that there isn’t as much sun. Humans need sunlight to be healthy and healthy. Another reason is that there is a lot of stress in the winter surrounding the holidays, the new year, and more. Whatever your situation, below are five tips to prepare your mental health for winter.
1) Start Exercising
A great way to prepare for seasonal depression and the dreary months is to start exercising. If you haven’t been working out, you might not realize how much it impacts your mental well-being. It is so crucial to living a happy life. Don’t wait until it’s cold and wet to start exercising. Instead, begin your workout regimen before winter settles in. Then, when you have an exercise plan that is working, you can keep it going into the winter. If you don’t keep up exercising in the colder months, you could find yourself sad and lethargic.
2) Drink Less
Going into the holidays and the new year, you might be consuming more alcohol than you are used to. One way to gear up for this part of the year is to drink less before the winter. During the fall months, buckle down and tighten up how much you are drinking. When the holidays arrive, you won’t be burnt out. You will be ready to let off some steam, relax, and celebrate. Alcohol is commonly used as an anti-anxiety and anti-depression method, but it doesn’t help you in the end. If you need help managing your drinking habits, you might want to go to a treatment center in LA (or wherever you live) to seek help.
3) Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the strategy that keeps your mental health in check by helping you stay in the moment. The practice is simply bringing your mind back to the present. This can be done in all kinds of ways. For example, you can meditate. Mindfulness meditation is a great way to calm the mind and bring peace to your thoughts.
To meditate all you need to do is sit in a room, on the floor perhaps, and be with your thoughts. Focus on your breathing. Every time you find your thoughts trailing off, bring them back. This will change the way you think over time and will give you the chance to be completely in the moment.
Another way to practice mindfulness is to do yoga. Yoga is a great way to combine fitness and spirituality. Yoga is a lot like meditation. When you hold the poses and focus on your breathing, you will be present. It’s so good for you. Yoga works wonders for your body and mind. Whatever your method, practicing mindfulness is instrumental to happiness and can help you stave off seasonal depression.
4) Take a Break from the Internet
When the weather is getting colder, the impulse is to stay inside with your devices. This can be counterintuitive. A great way to work on your mental health is to take a break from the internet. Spending too much time online can give you a warped sense of reality. Platforms like Instagram can make you feel bad about yourself, and Twitter can make you angry. Whatever your social media fix is, taking a break from the internet can facilitate your mental well-being.
5) Plan Ahead
Finally, winter can be a stressful time. If you have family flying in, friends who want to see you, and holidays coming up, it can feel like you don’t have any time to yourself. That’s why it is crucial to plan and use your time management skills to get the most out of your life. Even if you hate planning, you should do your best to schedule. It will help you become a lot happier in the end when you have everything figured out ahead of time.
Seasonal depression is a real thing that impacts so many people. Instead of waiting for the bad feelings to hit you, it’s a great idea to prepare. When you exercise, be mindful, drink less, take a break from the internet, and plan ahead, you will be putting yourself in a position to get through winter happily and healthily.
Don’t forget to Pin It On Pinterest
Leave a Reply