Many people begin feeling the "winter blues" this time of year as the days become shorter and access to sunlight decreases. It's normal to feel a bit down in the colder months when we feel trapped indoors.
About 5% of people in the U.S. experience Seasonal Depression aka Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is a type of depression.
SAD is more common in younger people, women, and people with another mood disorder, or those who have relatives with SAD or other mental health conditions.
SAD symptoms include feeling depressed most of the day, almost every day, anxiety, carb cravings, extreme fatigue, feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness, trouble concentrating, feeling irritated or agitated, heaviness in limbs, loss of interest in usually pleasurable activities, withdrawing from social activities, sleep problems, and more.
Try these 5 simple tips to help relieve your SAD and winter blues symptoms - just a bit of effort each day can make a difference. Need help - find a winter blues buddy and set an intention to brighten each other's days. Sometimes it's easier to help others than it is ourselves, and helping others gives us happy endorphins!
If your depression increases, if you begin to have difficulty functioning day-to-day, or have thoughts of death or suicide, please contact your doctor or contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255 or the Suicide Crisis Lifeline by calling 988.
Original source can be found here.
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