Top Tips For Staying Happy During The Darker Months

The shorter days and darker nights are well and truly upon us. Many of us will have started to feel the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder, better known as "feeling SAD" or "winter blues". The lack of sunlight causes a change in your mood and can result in various symptoms such as fatigue, lethargy, anxiety, and a drop in concentration levels. 

I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder when the days get darker and, sometimes, I could almost just lie in bed all day. But over time, I've learnt little techniques to overcome it and to make Autumn/Winter a much more pleasant time. Besides, it's the lead up to Christmas!

Seasonal Affective Disorder can affect anyone, but there are ways to lessen the effects and perhaps even get rid of them altogether. I have compiled my top tips for staying happy even when the weather is dreary.

Step outside. Being outdoors helps your body to absorb Vitamin D from the sunlight. You may not see the sun, but it's there and it will help to boost your mood.

Sleep well. The dreary weather can easily make you feel groggy so it's vital to get a good night's rest to ensure that your body is alert and refreshed for the day ahead. 7-8 hours is the recommended number of hours for sleep at night. Put down the mobile phone, or anything else with a backlit display, an hour before bed. The light can affect your melatonin levels and make it difficult for you to fall asleep.

Get moving. Exercise releases the feel-good endorphins which will make you feel much happier. It will also warm you up and help you to keep fit.

Have some Vitamin C. Fruits that are rich in Vitamin C, such as oranges and kiwi, also produce feel-good endorphins to boost your mood.

Dress up. When it's cold and you're feeling down, it's easy to spend all day in your pyjamas or sweatshirt. However, if you make an effort to look nice, you'll feel a whole lot better. So the next time you're feeling down, put on your best clothes, style your hair, and smile at yourself in the mirror. If you dress like you're happy, you're halfway there. 

Ditch the caffeine. It's pretty normal for people to reach for a caffeine kick whenever they're feeling tired but this will only mess up your sleeping patterns. Also, too much caffeine can affect your nervous system and make you feel anxious.

Socialise. There's nothing worse than sitting at home feeling sorry for yourself. So call up your friends and arrange something, even if it's just a DVD night. Being around others and having a good old chat will help you to relax and it will ease the tension that's been building up inside of you.

Buy some jumpers. These are essential during the colder months and you're more likely to want to get out of bed, or out of the shower, and leave the house if you know you'll have something snuggly and warm to wear. 

Watch a comedy. Go through your DVD pile and pick out something funny to watch. Laughing always helps to brighten up your mood. Switch off the news, crime dramas, soaps, or anything that is just too serious and draining. I love watching shows like The Big Bang Theory to cheer me up!

I hope you liked this post and found it useful in some way!