10 tips to ease your sad symptoms

It can be difficult living with Seasonal Affective Disorder, but there are things you can do to help yourself.

1.

Spend more time outdoors during the day.

2.

Avoid sitting in dark or dimly lit rooms. Try to arrange the spaces you spend most time in to maximise sunlight exposure.

3.

Add lamps and mirrors to brighten up anywhere that is particularly dark, and keep curtains open during the day.

4.

Cut back any tree branches or hedges that may be blocking the light from getting into your home.

5.

Rearrange furniture in your home so you are sitting near a window or, if you exercise indoors, set up your exercise equipment by a window.

6.

Build exercise into your lifestyle, preferably before SAD symptoms take hold. Exercise in general is beneficial, even when it’s indoors. Aside from daily walks, try strength training or yoga.

7.

Take a winter holiday to a sunny climate. Pack a swimsuit, grab a good book and head to a location where you can get all the natural sunlight you need.

8.

Bring the outside in by having lots of plants around your home. Looking after pot plants can help to lift a low mood.

9.

Aromatherapy and aromatherapy massages can help promote rest, reduce stress, stimulate your immune system and brighten your mood.

10.

A diet rich in unprocessed foods, proteins (lean meats, seafood), vegetables, fruits, and complex carbohydrates can protect against mental health disorders. Avoid high-sugar foods such as refined grains, pasta, soft drinks, and processed foods with added sugar.

Interesting fact

Winter depression occurs in approximately three out of every one hundred of the population.