Goodbye winter depression!

For some, this is the season of skiing and snowboarding, fun and play. For others, an everlasting darkness. This blog post isn’t meant to be a medical issue – it’s an encouragement for all of us do to everything we can, in order to stay both emotionally and physically fit during the darkest time of year!

(I am writing this in Norway, so obviously it won’t be as relevant if you’re living in Bali or Australia…)

Anyway, what can we do to keep a healthy mind and mood throughout this season? Here are a few suggestions well tested and proven to uplift at least my mood 🙂

Get dressed and get out! The actual day light is important to our well-being. So is fresh air. Get out there! Go for a walk, meet someone, run some errands – anything that will help you capture a few hours of day light. Light is currently a scarcity and should therefore be exploited! And if you can’t go out, place your chair by the window and absorb…

Make your home a sanctuary. Bring the sun in by creating a warm, light and comfortable atmosphere, for example through candles, yellow curtains, fireplace (if you’re that lucky!), flowers and cozy blankets. Oh, and put some fresh & bright oranges at display on the table!

Make “To do”-lists. It’s easy to feel uninspired, stressed and overwhelmed with daily tasks when the darkness hollows us in. But instead of allowing ourselves down that spiral, make yourself a “To do”-list where you plan out your day – and as you go, you tick things off the list, making your mind at ease and automatically producing the feeling of productivity and self-efficiency. It might sound bizarre – but it really works!

Give yourself (or someone you love) a treat! Serving others by giving a piece of yourself is proven to have happiness potential! What about offering a cuddle to your girlfriend’s hair while watching a film? Or giving your friend a massage? Treating yourself to one is also an option… Remember, it’s the little things that matter!

Feed the birds. If you have a balcony or somewhere to feed the birds, it is encouraging and fun to see them come and enjoy the food on their plate. More birds may survive a cold winter, and you get inspiring company! Give them seeds, nuts and fats – but no white bread that will make them full without real nutrition.

Play happy music in gloomy weather! Music can uplift our mood enormously – if we let it! Rather than playing dark music to fit a depressive mood, make a change! Play happy music and let your mood be seduced to follow!

Meet friends. Once work, school or daily duties are done and dusted, it’s easy to sink deep into the couch and…. stay there. It’s perfectly fine (and necessary) to relax and enjoy some time alone after a long day. But, it’s also very important to see friends sometimes, no matter how hard getting out of that sofa might seem! Grab a coffee, cook dinner, visit the cinema, play board games or simply chill in the sofa – but occasionally do it with company!

Talk about how you feel! It’s OK to say you’re not OK, and frankly – it will most likely help! You’re definitely not alone working your way through a though winter, and sharing emotions can allow us to align and overcome any possible depression together.

Get enough vitamin D! Although the sun may not be up for long, make sure to catch those few hours before it disappears! I mention this again because the importance of it cannot be stressed enough. Day light is absolutely a number one priority. It will free your mind. You can also take vitamin D supplements to ensure you are getting enough. But don’t take various supplements with vitamin D at the same time. Too much is harmful!

And last but not least….

Try to stay positive! As we have previously discussed here at Zikey, the attitude we face life challenges, problems or situations with is absolutely essential. Try to smile at the little things in life, try to appreciate the good, try to focus on gratitude and love. With that – you are already contributing to a better world! ♡

A childlike approach to life is being excited about all seasonal changes, so let the contagious curiosity of our smallest ones teach us the way!