With the end of daylight savings time, it suddenly seems gloomy at 4pm and dark by 5pm.  Many of the people I consult with notice their spirits and energy diminishing when the season becomes darker and colder. Some find themselves feeling more despondent and discouraged.  And families who are now spending most of their time indoors together may feel more cranky than cozy.

These seasonal changes don’t need to bring you down, though. I have 10 simple and safe suggestions that can help you and your family members keep your daily rhythms more cheerfully in sync with the winter season:

  1. Get outside for 20-30 minutes every day–even on gloomy, grey days you will get lots of natural light exposure. One family I know made it a practice to go on late afternoon rambles around the neighborhood.  Even when they had to put on rain-boots and carry umbrellas, everyone was noticeably more cheerful and cooperative in the evening.
  2. Move more, cocoon less.  The paradox of exercise is that it helps the most when we least feel like it.  My client, A.B., started small by simply putting on her walking shoes. Once they were on, she was more willing to go outside and then walk as far as the stop-sign at the end of her street. When she was there, she found herself wanting to walk even further.  “Setting small goals” she told me, was “the best way for me to do it.”
  3. Let the sun shine in.  Another client I worked with consciously chose to make her home sunnier and brighter–she opened the curtains when it was sunny, adopted a few new houseplants, and played the most fun music she could find!
  4. Brighten up indoor lighting.  I often hear that this change alone can make a dramatic improvement. Add more lamps and put in full-spectrum compact fluorescent and fluorescent tubes (often available at natural food stores and electrical supply companies).
  5. Get a Light Box.  It’s not too expensive, it’s drug free with no side effects and it is the #1 most proven treatment for SAD.  Here is some useful advice for choosing one.
  6. Talking about it really helps.  My clients often find that the issues that bothered them over the summer can seem more overwhelming when the days grow darker and colder. Family problems that have been swept aside may be more troublesome when everyone is cloistered together indoors during the winter months. I often notice how much better my clients feel after every conversation we share.
  7. Make yourself more merry with friends.  There are good reasons for the traditions of “holiday cheer” during the longest nights of the year! Planning more get-togethers with friends lifts spirits in ways that a close relationship with one’s sofa and television are unlikely to match.
  8. Melatonin helps many.  I’ve noticed the difference, and recommend this research at NIMH about how taking supplements of the light sensitive hormone melatonin at specific times of day can substantially alleviate depression symptoms. I suggest you print out these research results to take to your Dr. for recommendations about a supplement schedule that will help you the most.
  9. Try something new and different.  My wonderful colleagues at Crossings will be happy to help you restore the natural cycles and rhythms of your body/mind/spirit with acupuncture, physical therapy, and massage.

10. Remember, Spring is on the way!  But Winter months also provide valuable opportunities for renewal. If you would like to share a conversation with me about it, schedule an appointment with me today