Truthfully, this week I didn't really know what to write. I thought about Christmas, gift-giving, charity, holiday materialism. Honestly, this is a tough time of year for me which takes a lot to admit as someone named Noel.
It's the end of the year and the beginning of winter. It's a time of year that is challenging for many people. Days grow shorter. Seasonal affective disorder looms and we prepare our New Years resolutions in between copious eating and shopping.
So, I offer to you a few tips on how to beat the holiday blues:
**Disclaimer: Do not begin any new supplement or exercise regimen
without consulting your doctor**
1. Vitamin D.
If you're lucky enough to live below the Mason-Dixon line, the best source of vitamin D is sunlight. (Please wear sunscreen. It is possible to get carcinoma with your vitamin D). However, for those of us above Virginia, vitamin D can play a really crucial role in helping to regulate mood. Personally, it's helped me a lot.
For more information, here are links to Dr. Weil about SAD and vitamin D. There's a lot more to be said.
2. Fish Oil
Fish oil can also manage depression for some people. In fact, the author of the Orgasmic Diet (ooo la la), Marrena Lindberg started a regimen of fish oil during a pregnancy in lieu of other pharmaceutical drugs that could have been dangerous to her unborn child. The title of her book kind of also gives away another added benefit. ; )
3. Find things to do outside your house and with friends.
Making plans with friends, exercising, and finding ways to engage with the outside world just helps. Exercise or movement can be great for treating seasonal depression. As Elle Woods once smartly said in Legally Blonde, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands." Exercise and getting out of your house can help prevent you from feeling like you and your subscription to Hulu+ are the only things that exist in the world.
Find a way to make winter fun and it just might be.
4. Get clear on your BIG why.
My existential wanderings should likely be saved for another blog post, but it turns out focusing on what gets you out of bed in the morning can actually help you get out of bed in the morning.
Journal. Try morning pages. Listen to music. What inspires you?
This song from Frightened Rabbit basically sums up my life motto.
5. Get help when you need it.
Help can come in a lot of shapes and sizes. Maybe it means a holistic health counselor to help you eat healthy and get clear on your goals. (wink wink nudge nudge). It can also be a friend, a family member, or your local spiritual advisor. I don't really care if it's your tarot card reader. Just get help when you need it. You don't have to suffer in silence.
***If you're really struggling, I encourage you to reach out to a professional mental health worker who can work with you one on one with your concerns.***
Happy Holidays, everyone!