Winter Wellness: The Importance of Self-Care In Dark Times
There is something romantic about the first days of fall. The changing leaves and the overwhelming cravings for closeness as sweater weather descends, paired with a blanket to gently coddle your soul as you wrap your hands around a warm mug of apple cider or a Venti Pumpkin Spiced Latte.
But also with autumn comes the feeling of hope. Taking the first steps to bring goals and ambitions to fruition before year’s end, and listening to those affirmations you ever-so-gingerly jotted in your iPhone notes. Maybe it’s because Virgo season is perfectly positioned to welcome fall that we’ve all unleashed our inner Beyoncé. But for me, the romance of autumn is short-lived and sometimes lasts only as long as an awkward Tinder date.
Living in Sweden, you grow accustomed to disappointing weather. Above all, you get used to living in winter—and darkness—for at least half the year. Fall—although especially winter—is not the happiest time in the Nordics. Queue up your favorite melancholic playlist and contemplate the fact that at its worst you can expect a maximum of 4 hours of sunlight in Sweden. And if that didn't make you sigh in anguish, imagine experiencing at most 124 hours of sunlight per month rather than the average 400 like the rest of the year.
Like a passive-aggressive Peter Pan shadow, complete darkness is ever-looming to accompany you to NeverSunshine. Funny enough, I can write sarcastically about the presence of darkness while winter currently is creeping in once again, but it took me awhile to objectively realize that my symptoms of seasonal depression and overall resignation was not a figment of my imagination; studies around the world have proven that a lack of sunshine can have a profound impact on mental health.
So, how do we cope with extreme light variation while keeping our serotonin levels in check?
Exercise: Exercise is a great antidote to sadness and stress! Even though it can feel like the hardest prescription to follow, the endorphins released as you move can feel like a sweat-fueled happy pill. Since it can be hard to get yourself out of the house in the dark, try to schedule your workout sessions while the sun is out.
Light Therapy:We all know that sunlight makes us more energized. The earlier we go out in the daylight, the better. It’s still uncertain why so much darkness affects us, but it could be that darker times release too much melatonin (sleeping hormone) into the body (the light helps us balance out the amount). If you can’t achieve sunlight naturally, look into light therapy rooms that are offered at certain spas and salons.
Sleep: Sleep is super important for us to function normally and feel on top. Remember to keep your phone, iPad, and computer at bay; those thieves upset your sleeping pattern in more ways than one by emitting blue light and tempting you with just one more social media scroll.
Meditation: Meditation and mindfulness have a direct impact on sadness and help to reduce stress. Try beginning your morning with 10 minutes of meditation - there are exceptional apps for beginners and novices alike, such as Headspace, Calm, and Breethe: Meditation & Sleep. It can seem difficult at first, but as soon as you build a routine, you'll want to make it an integral part of your daily routine.
Social Life: For some reason, when we feel at our worst we seem to be the best at isolating ourselves. This is a risk that can change a mild depression into the sunken place. For that reason, it’s important to keep meeting friends and valuing those friendships and relationships. Schedule in standing Zoom lunches or FaceTime group chats to keep an active schedule. But remember: choose the friendships that give you energy—not the ones that drain you.
Write: When we feel bad we tend to have an easier time putting a negative filter on everything. (Read: I promise not everything is an apocalypse.) A good way to be aware of the positive details is to write down things you are thankful for and good things that have happened throughout the day. If you continue to do this for a few weeks, you will probably realize the list of positive things is quite long. This practice is a perfect way to develop an appreciation for both small details and big happenings in your everyday life.
Although we cannot change the fact that fall will turn into winter, there is a way to cope with the situation at hand. We can all get through this if we take the time to realize that the feelings are real—and that we have the power to choose how—and to what extent— those feelings will affect us. Remember, just as fall turns into winter, winter will turn into spring
