Yes, I know it's Black Friday. I know there are Door Buster sales all over. I slept in anyway. It's not that I don't care, it's that I don't want what they're trying to sell. Trust me, if the things on my list were hugely discounted, I'd have gotten up at dark-thirty and been first in line. Retailers, please do not mistake my lack of interest for signs of possession by the Grinch or Mr. Scrooge. (Instead, please consider that some of us still shop for others at this time of year, and as much as I love my mom and my friends, I'm NOT buying all of them huge flatscreen TVs, so how about a sale on something normal people might actually ship?) The only thing I went out for last year was Home Depot's sale on Christmas lights. It's a little discouraging, actually.
Not enough to bring on any blues, though. When it's not SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) but you're still blue, what can you do? (Was that a horrible segue, or what?)
We aren't talking true clinical depression, either. But you know it when you feel it: an especially uninspired mood, boredom, oversleeping, loss of energy, and loss of interest in things you normally enjoy. Some people withdraw socially - and not just because they need a mental break from the crowds at the stores. Some experience unexplained weight gain (more than seven pounds or so is significant). Note the keyword here is "unexplained". A lot of us pack on as much as eleven pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's - go figure!
Obviously, it's a good idea to check with your doctor to rule out any physical cause like a virus or thyroid problem. And of course if your symptoms get worse, you should check with your favorite mental health professional!
But in the meantime, here are a few things to try:
1. Get outside on sunny days. Even for five or ten minutes.
2. Exercise regularly. Outside or inside, at least fifteen minutes a day, at least three days a week. Shovel snow, take a walk, have a snowball fight with the kids, or just do push-ups, but get active. A good workout will stimulate the brain’s production of endorphins!
3. Work with your body’s hibernation tendencies instead of against it. When it’s dark by dinner, it’s easier to lose track of time and end up staying up later than we should. Limit your caffeine intake to morning and midday, or take a calcium or melatonin supplement an hour before bedtime if you have trouble getting to bed on time.
4. Give yourself something new and exciting to think about or do, and then allow yourself a little “you” time every day to devote to it. Read a chapter a day of the latest novel by your favorite author. Master a new video game. Set a new fitness goal and work toward it.
5. It’s easy to go overboard with the menu but try to maintain a balanced diet. Alternate cookie snacks with baby carrots, and stick to a higher fiber breakfast. If you include a little protein with every meal – including breakfast, it may help you avoid some snack cravings. Instead of leftover pie and ice cream right before bed, have a bowl of healthy cereal.
6. Manage your stress. ‘Tis the season for family and friends. Hang out with them, have a good time, vent a little, then laugh a little. Stay connected, even if you don’t feel like it at first.
7. Start a journal. Write a sentence about your general mood of the day each evening, and then write three more sentences about positive things that occurred that day.
8. Rock out in the car. Turn off the boring news radio on the way home and listen to your favorite CD or Christmas music instead.
9. Don’t neglect your spiritual self. Get the family to church. Encourage everyone to thank God for their blessings.
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