Feeling Healthy and Happy through the Fall and Winter Seasons
Our role as parents and caregivers can be extremely rewarding, and our days can be filled with tons of loving, beautiful and fun moments with our preschoolers. It can also be tiring, challenging, frustrating and downright stressful by the end of the day. That's why self-care is so important... when we take time to care for ourselves, we are better able to care for the little ones in our lives!
As adults, we have to identify and manage the wide range of challenging emotions we might experience over the course of the day. For some, the fall and winter months offer a special challenge. When the weather turns cold and grey, many people around the world experience a dip in their motivation, energy, and emotions. When we are stuck inside because of the cold, dreary weather; or don't get to see sunshine much because we leave for work before the sun comes up and get home long after the sun goes down, we can have low energy or feel sad.
If you find this happening to you, there are many ways to motivate yourself to take on the day feeling more positive. Waking up and completing a routine (shower-breakfast-news-get dressed, etc.) helps you start the day with purpose. Continuing with other routines will help to keep your motivation going throughout the day, and can help you to feel grounded.
Along with following a routine, here are several other ideas that will help you to shake a bad- or sad mood:
1- Practice Healthy Habits: Grab your sneakers and go for a walk around the neighborhood! Put on your favorite music and dance around your living room. Getting as little as 20 minutes of exercise several times a week will help you to be more energized and feel better.
2- Develop a Sleep Routine: While you might be tempted to sleep in on dark mornings, it is better for your body to stay with your normal wake-up time and routine. Try to get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night- and go to bed/wake up at the same time each day. Consider developing a few simple bed-time routines- such as reading, listening to relaxing music or writing in a journal just as you climb into bed.
3- Don't Forget to Laugh!: Take some time to watch a funny movie with your family, take out a joke book from the library, or watch silly You-Tube videos with your children. Besides lifting your mood, laughing and sharing fun times with family and friends can make you feel closer to your loved ones.
4- Build Small Successes into your Day: Make a simple "to-do" list that contains several tasks you know you will be able to accomplish during the day. Even completing everyday chores can give you a sense of accomplishment- and helps you to be able to tackle those bigger tasks on your list.
Experiencing low energy and sad feelings during the fall and winter is sometimes called the "winter blues” and it is fairly common.
In a small percentage of people, these occasional blues can develop into a more serious depression. This is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)- and those who have it describe it as feeling hopeless, extremely fatigued, and experiencing a deep sadness that does not go away easily. If you, or someone you know, is experiencing these types of symptoms, please seek medical care. Your doctor can talk with you about how you are feeling, and help you determine if you are experiencing a simple case of the winter blues, or a more serious occurrence of Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Laughing with family and friends is a great way to boost your mood.
Here are a few websites that will give you some more information on staying healthy through the fall and winter months…
https://www.everydayhealth.com/depression/your-best-weapons-against-the-winter-blues.aspx
https://www.webmd.com/depression/features/beating-winters-woes#1