Last year Seasonal Affective Disorder bought me almost to a standstill. Since then I've read about it and gathered together information to help me with it this year. In case you are affected too here's my SAD action plan:
Food
Foods that
are slow burning and help to prevent your blood sugar levels from crashing;
fill up on these!
- Raw fruit and veg
- Plain popcorn (can add a tiny
bit of salt for flavour if you want but try it without)
- Oats (you can add these to
things like bolognaise!)
- Raw, unsalted nuts (or roast
them at home and eat without salt)
- Peanut butter
- Wholegrain bread and crackers,
oatcakes
- Oily fish (sardines, mackerel,
salmon)
- Wholegrain breakfast cereals
Foods to
avoid as they spike then dip your blood sugar:
- Sweets, chocolate, cakes and
biscuits – refined sugars
- White bread, white rice, pasta,
potatoes
- Caffeine (though it’s better if
you have it with a slow burning snack)
So in
general stay hydrated, fill up on raw fruit and veg, avoid too many refined
sugar products. Weight gain can rocket in Winter so combine healthy, satisfying
foods with gentle exercise.
Health and
well being
- Vitamin D may help – studies
suggest there is a link
- Get a light box and use it twice
daily – in the morning and a couple of hours in the evening or before bed.
- Gentle exercise; walking,
swimming, some home exercise like weights and sit ups, Pilates stretches.
Prevents weight gain and keeps your body functioning healthily.
- Essential oils; if you have an
oil burner burn a citrus oil (mandarin or grapefruit are good) in the
mornings to stimulate you, and lavender at night to help you sleep. 6
drops of lavender in a bedtime bath is also good.
- Bedtime routine; sleep
disruption is a major symptom of SAD and can lock you into a vicious
cycle. Get into a simple bedtime routine by turning off all screens (TV,
computer) at least 20 mins before you turn in for the night as they
trigger chemicals in the brain that can keep you awake. Take time to read
a book and if anything’s playing on your mind write it down before getting
into bed and set it aside for tomorrow, or add it to a to do list if it’s
something you’re worried about forgetting – it helps to get it out of your
head.
- Keep warm; being cold can make
you feel miserable when you’re already experiencing SAD. Wrap up well,
keep your hands and feet warm if you suffer from bad circulation and keep
your home evenly heated.
- Stay hydrated; when you feel
thirsty this is a sign that you’re already quite de-hydrated and your energy
levels will suffer as a result. Dehydration also causes headaches and
other aches and pains, and can even make digestion difficult. Keep a bottle full of water with you at home and at work and keep sipping.
- Be easier on yourself; housework
can wait, DIY can wait, major new projects can wait. Conserve your energy
when you need to. Focus on gentle exercise and looking after yourself, and
don’t take on more than you can handle. Treat yourself in the way you’d
treat a loved one who was feeling the same.
- Plan nice things to look forward
to during Winter; set dates for a meal, a night away, a day out etc and
Winter won’t look so bleak.
- Make a sad to happy CD/MP3
compilation to gradually ease you out of a depressed mood and into a
better one.
You might
find it helpful to track how you’re feeling throughout Winter so that you can
spot any triggers or patterns:
Date:
Food:
Exercise:
Summary:
I hope this helps!