5 Strategies to help beat SAD
For many, winter can be a difficult time of year, especially as the days get shorter and the cold sets in. Seasonal depression, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), affects many people every year. Fortunately, there are simple yet effective ways to regain motivation and energy. In this article, discover practical tips and products* to combat SAD and put a smile on your face!
Natural Light
During winter, the days get shorter, and our exposure to natural light diminishes. This lack of light can disrupt our biological clock, or circadian rhythm, which regulates essential functions such as sleep, appetite and mood. With less light, our bodies produce more melatonin, the sleep hormone, which can make us drowsy and affect our energy. At the same time, our production of serotonin, the feel-good hormone, decreases, contributing to the “winter blues”.
Here are 2 products I love to have to compensate this lack of natural light :
The Wake Up Light
Are you a snoozer? This alarm clock lamp mimics the sunrise and helps boost the production of serotonin and melatonin, which are essential for a good mood and quality sleep.
Liquid Vitamin D
To compensate for the lack of light, consider taking a vitamin D supplement as part of your routine. This can be a simple but powerful trick to boost your spirits during the cold season.
What about luminotherapy?
You guessed right! Artificial light is really beneficial when it comes to winter blues. Unlike the Wake Up light, which mimics a sunrise effect, the luminotherapy light mimics the sunlight. PSA, don’t do this at night, you might not sleep 🤭
I recently purchased this one, and let me tell you, I’ve been having goooddd dayyyss.
Elevate your Senses with …
Essential oils
Essential oils offer a quick, natural solution to boost or calm the senses, leveraging the olfactory system to deliver fast-acting effects directly to the brain, helping to improve mood, focus, and relaxation within minutes.
I particularly LOVEEE peppermint and citrus to boost my mood :
It smells like, you know, peppermint
But why is it so good? Because peppermint helps with decreasing tension and enhances alertness.
Citrus, please pick me up!
This essential oil is perfect for a mood booster-lifter. Citrus also really helps for better focus.
Now, let’s get moving!
Add some fun and creativity to your workouts with this set of resistance bands! Use them around your knees to amp up leg and glute exercises or around your arms for an extra challenge in upper body moves. These bands bring variety to any routine, making it easy to stay strong, energized, and inspired—indoors or outdoors, wherever your imagination takes you!
I just received these and I love them so much I wanted you to have the same ones.
My Favourite Book of the season
To say that this book is my autumn favourite would be an understatement, given how deeply it resonated with me. The Mountain Is You tackles head-on what many of us go through without even realizing it: self-sabotage. Brianna Wiest invites us to look at our negative routines and habits, the ones that prevent us from living life to the full, and to confront them.
This book opened my eyes to the importance of identifying these behaviors and no longer letting them dictate my life. It shows us that the “mountain” standing in our way is often ourselves. Above all, she reminds us that behind every challenge lies an opportunity for personal evolution. For anyone looking to break out of self-destructive patterns and move forward with intention, this book is a must-read.
Seasonal affective disorder may seem difficult to overcome, but simple actions can make a big difference. By taking care of yourself and incorporating these products and practices to your daily routine, you can not only improve your mood but also make this season sweeter and more enjoyable.
Take care,
*Amazon Affiliate links