Winter months are tough. Days are short, and depending on where you are located, the weather is freezing. This lovely combination of things causes many people to suffer from Seasonal Depression or SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
SAD is a recurring depression that usually happens in the late Fall and Winter. It’s characterized by feelings of sluggishness, low motivation, deep sadness, and loss of interest in day-to-day life.
Ironically, the winter months are when things ramp up for content creators. The Holiday season is prime time for brands to seek out influencers for new partnerships. So just when many people are feeling at an all-time low for productivity, content creators need to be at the top of their game to pitch to and land brand deals.
We sincerely want you to succeed during this optimal time, so we compiled a list of seven things you can do this winter to kick seasonal depression in its little booty.
1. Prepare your mind
Before the cold months even hit, start to prepare yourself! Give yourself time every day to do some enjoyable activity. Get outside as much as possible, spend time with loved ones, maybe even volunteer.
The goal is to prioritize activities that will boost your Serotonin and put you in a healthy mental space before winter. So when you see those leaves falling, you gotta get ready.
2. Prioritize socialization
Winter can be isolating. If you live in a particularly snowy spot of the world, you may be repeatedly cooped up in your house by yourself.
Too much alone time is not good for us mentally. Studies have found a connection between social isolation and depression. So whenever you can, take part in in-person socialization.
Consider hosting a weekly game night or going out for drinks with friends. Whenever weather permits, try some sort of outdoor activity to get some fresh air along the way.
Simply put, don’t stay alone in your house all the time.
3. Try a lightbox
This one sounds a little odd but hear us out. During winter months, we get significantly less sun exposure, so lightboxes can be used to mimic the light we typically get from the sun.
Researchers believe that sunlight helps release brain chemicals that make us awake, happy, and alert. Without this sunlight exposure, we can feel sad and lethargic.
Many people that deal with SAD reported feeling happier and more productive after implementing lightbox therapy into their daily routine. It’s suggested to use light therapy in the morning for 30-60 minutes daily for the best results.
Lightboxes come in all shapes and sizes; some have different light exposure levels. So if you are interested in lightbox therapy, speak with your doctor to find the best and safest option for you!
4. Stick to a schedule
You don’t need to have a crazy strict schedule that dictates every second of every day, but having an outline of your daily structure can be super beneficial. When dealing with SAD, idleness can worsen symptoms.
A great way to stay healthily busy is to plan out what you want each day to look like. Ideally, you will plan for exercise and sleep time as well.
If planning a whole day feels overwhelming, try starting with a morning routine! Adding a sense of structure to otherwise mundane days can be super helpful.
5. Exercise
Like other forms of depression, exercise greatly helps lower SAD symptoms. It’s also been found that exercise not only helps fight current SAD, but it can also help prevent it from coming back in the future!
You don’t have to pretend to be a professional athlete and train for hours on end. Instead, choose your favorite form of movement and try to practice it 30 minutes a day, and whenever you can, do so outside for a double whammy against SAD.
6. Take a vacation
If you can, consider postponing your summer vacation until the winter hits. Even just a week long escape from cold weather can be enough to boost your spirits greatly!
Sun exposure, a change of pace, and a relaxed setting are all great ways to shake up the winter and help you manage SAD.
7. Get all the vitamin D
Our body is pretty dope. From sun exposure alone, it’s able to convert the rays we absorb into vitamin D. But, during the winter, we get super low levels of sun exposure. This means we don’t have enough vitamin D for healthy function.
Vitamin D is needed for optimal brain performance, as well as the regulation of Serotonin and healthy sleep cycles. Studies have found that taking a daily Vitamin D supplement can be effective when treating SAD.
You can find over-the-counter vitamin D supplements or talk directly with your doctor about the right option for you. Either way, worth a shot!
Closing thoughts
SAD is no joke, and more people are affected by it than would like to admit.
It’s cruelly comical that right around the time most people are impacted by SAD is also when brands are gearing up for their holiday marketing campaigns. Winter is often prime time for content creators to pitch up a storm, and to be successful in doing so, you need to be on your A-game mentally.
We want you to feel fully focused and ready to land the brand deals you worked so hard for! So this winter, focus on conquering SAD and crushing your goals!
What tactics will you be using going forward? Let us know!
