Seasonal Support
By Danielle D Jenkins, PsyD
As seasons shift, many people feel worsening mental health. Particularly in the fall and winter in places like the Pacific Northwest where I live and work. The days go from being full of opportunity to spend outside with lots of light to short, dark, and wet. It becomes more difficult to get out and move one’s body in positive ways. It’s cold and damp for at least part of the day. We begin the running here and there for various activities. The leaves are blowing with frenetic energy. And the sweet and spicy drinks and cookie snacks are everywhere beckoning with their promises to feel better after a treat.
Depending on the year, sometime between September 1st and October 15th I start giving my fall mood talk. We go over how much sugar they are eating/drinking and how they are taking care of their bodies. This year, I know it’s been harder for me this year to practice what I preach so I’m guessing I’m not alone in needing a reminder. Here are my recommendations.
Watch your sugar intake
As the leaves begin swirling and the temperature drops, we begin to crave things that heat our bodies up. Both sweet and spicy food and drink can heat up the body. There’s a reason we begin craving cinnamon and clove and hot, creamy drinks. The problem is that the highly processed versions of these things cause inflammation more than gentle warming for many people. So, I encourage clients (and myself) to drink a hot cinnamon tea or another type of drink that doesn’t have sugar added. Sweeten with stevia or maple syrup rather than sugar. Add a plant milk instead of dairy milk. And opt for healthier versions of pumpkin bread and snickerdoodles if you are sensitive to carbs and sugar. Treats aren’t bad but they quickly can move to a habit that is more sabotage than self-care.
Use a mood light
Lights for seasonal affective disorder/seasonal depression have become more popular in recent days but many people are unsure how to use their light once they get it. I recommend trying I out for 10-20 minutes at first to see how it feels. People report they can feel a bit buzzy, like having drunk too much coffee, if they use too long. Please the lamp 12 to 18 inches from your face and a bit off to one side and do something like reading, eating breakfast or getting ready for the day. If you don’t have a mood light, I recommend either sitting near a window for a half hour a day or I love the small Verilux lights you can purchase at Amazon (I have also seen them at Costco). Many people I know keep the lamps on their desk at work and use when they check email first thing. Then they make sure to sit by a window or get outside for a walk on weekend days.
Focus on cozy hobbies or planning for your summer hobbies next time around
One of the reasons many of my clients struggle with the shift from summer into Fall and Winter is the drastic change in doing activities they enjoy. Here in the PNW summers are amazing. Warm, sunny, and full of outdoor activities. We paddle board, kayak, hike, run, walk, roll in the grass with the dogs, race on the beach, climb mountains, fish, hunt, swim, camp, bike, skate, and garden. And then almost instantly once the spiders come, we are done. We hibernate all fall and winter as if we never loved the outdoors. It really impacts mood to go from rolling around in dirt to being holed up indoors. One of the best tricks I’ve found that helps myself and my clients with this stark shift is to have indoor hobbies for the fall/winter. Knitting, crochet, painting, designing houses, crafting, and tending to house plants. Some of my clients even do elaborate gardening and landscaping plans for the next planting seasons.
Create a cozy environment
Having a cozy environment in which to do these hobbies is really important. We go from having a lot more light to having less light and less exposure to that light. So checking your environment to see if maybe it would be helpful to open up more of the shades, set out more lamps or twinkle lights. Perhaps you need a cozy lap blanket at your desk or on the couch where you drink your spicy drink. Don’t have a fire place to sit near to feel cozy? Put a fireplace video on your TV or computer. Get some new fuzzy socks or slippers for yourself.
Stay warm a cozy friends.