When the days become shorter, which they will now continue to do for the next 3 months here in the Northern Hemisphere, many people struggle with darker or heavier moods. The easy days of summer are behind us, there is a bit of a chill in the morning air, holidays are around the corner… these are all reasons that one might feel a little blue this week.
Historically, for me, there is already a feeling of “November dread”. The coming snow season (I’m in the upper Midwest, USA) and its bitter cold, north winds require much mental bolstering. Winter can be very difficult!
I lead myself through these feelings every single year. As a health coach, I have learned about things we can do to support ourselves and help set up for an easier time during this season. Vitamin D supplements help your brain, especially during winter when the sun is lower in the sky. Light therapy is a beneficial practice where one sits in front of a special lamp to trick the brain into producing serotonin, the feel-good neurotransmitter.
We need practical and effective intervention to help us enjoy our precious lives during the darker season. So, this week’s Monday Mindset post is for your mental health, and mine.
Let’s assume that we are already doing Vitamin D supplements and have a therapy light ready to go. What else can we do? There are things that I like to build into my routine before I get in trouble with wintertime mental health, or SAD (seasonal affective disorder). I’m writing about this here because I believe it is every bit as important as everything else we’re doing to create a happy, successful life.
These are things that I already do, or try to do, daily.
- Starting each day with meditation and prayer, or mindfulness, is how I ensure that my day gets off to a good start. Once I reach that happy place, it is much easier to maintain it throughout the day. If I start my day harried or “wake up on the wrong side of the bed”, there is much less chance that I will feel peaceful, joyful, or successful. I have the luxury of time in the morning, and sometimes it takes a couple hours to get to the mental-emotional place where I like to reside. Other times, I wake up and say “thank you for another day”, and that is enough. It is a day-to-day thing, and it works to lift me up.
- Exercise. I have an 80# dog that has a very big need for exercise. I credit him with my daily walking routine because, without him, I would find it far too easy to blow it off. Find a way to make it happen, especially on the days when you just don’t feel like it.
- Nature and exercise go together for us. I take Bo to a large tract of woods where he can run and I can hike on trails through the trees, building my sense of appreciation and awe for this beautiful place. I love nature’s beauty and perfection, and it helps me feel joyful and connected.
- Notice natural beauty all around. Even if you live in a crowded city, there are bits of nature all around that we can focus on. Look at the clouds in the sky, and how they peacefully pass over our heads, and at times dramatically set the stage for weather events. It is alive and ever changing. Like our moods.
- Affirmation. Thank you for another day! I vibrate radiant health! I am rested and ready! I love my life! People want to work with me! I am successful and happy. If you haven’t yet used affirmations, I encourage you to craft some that you can use to keep yourself up and moving forward. Money, relationships, and health are some common issues that we humans sometimes struggle with. What are you working on?
- Nutrition and hydration. Healthy food and plenty of water are so important to mental health. If you don’t know this, try keeping track of your protein intake for a couple days, or set an intention to drink enough water. Many times, if I’m feeling down, a glass of water is all I need to get myself back on the beam. And, health coach here, get rid of the added sugar, especially if you crave it or think you need it as a pick-me-up in the afternoon. It is not helping, and in the long term, it is hurting you.
- There are so many things, but I’ll end with this one: Sleep. Sweet sleep. Rest during the darker months. Once I have eased into winter, I love the fact that nothing much is going on that takes me out of my home. Sometimes, I get up in the morning, take a shower and put on clean jammies. I read more books. I cook comfort foods. And I have no problem sleeping longer hours and waking up lazy. Even with the demands of daily life, rest is a priority during winter.
I know that Mondays are difficult for many people, even if you don’t have to rush off to a J.O.B. We’ve been programmed throughout our lives to jump into action Monday morning after having the weekend off. We get back to work and school, make phone calls and send emails to deal with business things. We return to busy-ness.
For this Monday Mindset post, I want to encourage you to stay present with yourself. Check into your automatic thought stream. Keep yourself and your well-being at the top of your list, so you can show up fully for everyone else in your life. Or just so you feel better.
I wish you a peaceful and easy week as we transition into autumn.
Would love to hear your thoughts,
Amy
