We’ve entered November, it’s dark before most of us leave the office, and bad news just seems to keep on coming. I can feel the S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) hovering over me. But it hasn’t quite taken hold yet, in part because of the routines and practices I’ve made a habit of over the last few years. It used to hit me much harder in years past, before I cut back on unhealthy habits and started practicing healthy ones, but I’m still definitely not immune to it, especially if I’m slacking on those healthy habits. These healthy habits are listed below, and I try to do them everyday in order to give myself the best chance to have a great day. Some of these include locked in routines I’ve been doing every day for years now and others are newer things I’m trying to introduce to make sure I stay at my best. So this is more of a reminder for myself, as much as suggestions for you to try out if the change in seasons gets you down.
Meditation and Mindfulness
Every morning after I shower I meditate for 10 minutes. This doesn’t mean I sit and reach zen enlightenment. Usually I have to continuously pull myself back from thinking about the day ahead and what I have to do, and return to the moment, to my breath, to the mantra, over and over again. That’s why it’s called a practice. Some days are great, other times it’s a struggle. But every morning I do it. It lays the foundation that allows me to be calmer, happier, and more present and in the moment throughout my day. It’s challenging to describe the practice and effects of meditation. I never feel that I do it justice, but I want to try to in a future post and get as in depth and practical as I can with it, so stay tuned for that.
Outside. Water & Tea. Breakfast. Supplements.
After I meditate I let the dog out and I find it really helps to stay outside even for just 30 seconds, to feel the cold and breathe in the fresh air. It helps me wake up and feel alive. While breakfast is getting ready, I’ll drink a glass of water and make some tea (with a little bit of apple cider vinegar and coconut oil splashed in). Then I’ll have breakfast, which is usually oatmeal and peanut butter, or some bacon and eggs. After breakfast I’ll take supplements. Sean (and Tim Ferriss) got me into taking supps, and they’ve done wonders for both Sean and I. He’s written before about his own supplement routine, as well how diet can effect your mood. Almost every day I take cod liver oil, and rotate between potassium, magnesium, garlic, and Vitamin D (especially this one with the time change and lack of sunlight). Not only do these boost my mood, I hardly ever get sick anymore, which I think is due to the cod liver oil in particular. Now that I’ve said that, I’m sure I’ll get sick within the next week.
Practice Gratitude
I’ve written about my gratitude journal before, but in short, the first thing I do at work when my computer boots up is open Evernote and jot down a few things I’m grateful for. That’s it. It’s incredibly simple and I think you’d be surprised at how much it can change your mood and how you look at things throughout the rest of your day.
Go for a Walk
Every day, at 11am and 3pm, I get up from my desk at work and take a nice, mindful walk around the block. It doesn’t take more than 5 minutes each time, and I think it’s vital not only for my health, but my mood as well. Go for a walk. You’ll feel better.
Limit or Block Information Overload
Working at a computer all day, I have a bad habit of continuously clicking on news sites and Twitter, compulsively and repeatedly, even if I know there is absolutely nothing new, let alone anything I need to know. I’ve tried a number of different tactics but always end up backsliding. This month I started a new tactic. I can check those news sites and Twitter one time, usually in the morning, and then I am done for the day. I block them on my work computer after that one time check-in, and I have Freedom on my laptop set to block all news sites and Twitter after 6:00pm. It’s still early, but I’m off to a good start and I feel much, much better because of it.
Exercise & Sauna
I try to hit the gym at least twice a week, if not three times. It’s a lot harder to do in the colder months, but it’s even more important that I get there. I ALWAYS feel better after a session at the gym, even if it was light. And at the end of each session is a reward, and probably my favorite part of the whole process: I sit in the sauna for 15-20 minutes. It always feels good to sweat it out in there, especially when it’s cold outside. Sauna use has a host of health benefits, and is also just relaxing and pleasurable for its own sake, so if you have one at your gym, I highly recommend it.
Stretch & Music
At the end of my day, I blast music and do a stretch routine that takes about 10-20 minutes. This is where I where I process my day and begin to relax and enjoy my evening. It usually means my day is done. It’s glorious.
Marijuanna
In the immortal words of Memphis Bleek, “I gets high…I can’t lie” (not while I drive though). Marijuana absolutely helps me unwind and relax in the evenings. I take a couple puffs and put the day behind me. I throw a record on, cook up and enjoy some dinner, write in my journal, then settle into a book, TV or movie. I know it’s not for everyone, and it can be a double-edged sword even for me. If I indulge too much, it can easily launch me into laziness, so less is usually more. But for the most part, it relieves me of unnecessary stress and anxiety, lifts up my mood, and allows me to take life and myself a little less seriously. I feel like I’d be lying by omission if I didn’t include it here.
Conclusion
That’s a brief overview of the regular actions I take that help keep me happy, productive, and at the very least, sane, during the cold, dark days of winter. I focused more on my daily routine, but it’s also of course crucial to get out and be social, have fun, see friends, laugh, and maybe have a deep conversation or two if you can. But some days I’m really dragging ass and I do fall into the pit of junk food and Netflix. And that’s okay too; some days you need to just take a break. But what’s important is you pick it back up the next day. Small, simple actions are what gets us out of our ruts. So if you’re really feeling down but want to get back up, start small. Clean your desk. Bundle up and go take a walk around the block. Try to meditate for 5 minutes. And if it’s just not happening, dive into that favorite TV show for some laughs, and get after it again tomorrow.
All of this is simple advice but it might not be easy for you. My form of seasonal depression is pretty mild, and these things help, but this isn’t to say any of these things would cure a serious case of depression. Please seek out more experienced, professional help if you need it. These are just meant to be some helpful tips if you’re prone to feeling down in the dumps in the fall and winter.
Stay sharp and stay healthy this winter my friends!