The first days of fall are a lot of fun – you get to put on that favorite sweater, go leaf-peeping, order a maple latte. But the changing season is also a reminder that winter is coming, and with the dropping temperatures and vanishing daylight comes mental health challenges for many people, including SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
Here are some tips to keep in mind to maintain your mental health during the cold weather months.
Get Outside and Exercise
Regular exercise is proven to be good for your mind and body, but can be more challenging in the fall and winter. Take up a winter sport like ice skating or snowshoeing, or bundle up and go for a brisk walk. You can also stay inside and take advantage of online exercise classes with recorded or virtual at-home workouts.
Stay Connected
It may be tempting to burrow in for the entire winter, but maintaining your outside social relationships is important. Make plans to meet up in person if you can (take that brisk walk together!) and when that’s not possible, stay in touch by phone or email. And if you’re struggling, reach out to the trusted people in your social network and let them know.
Eat Well, Sleep Well
A diet heavy on refined sugars and processed foods has been found to negatively affect moods. Keep on a nutritious daily diet and a regular sleep schedule, including switching off screens at least an hour before bedtime.
Be Mindful
Meditation has been shown to improve moods, and there are plenty of online apps and other tools to schedule meditations whenever you want. If meditation isn’t for you, there’s plenty of ways to be mindful, such as yoga and stretching, journaling, or going outside (there’s that brisk walk again!)
While these tips will hopefully be helpful for managing mental health, reach out to a mental health professional if you think you have signs of a more serious mood disorder.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Dane County provides a variety of resources and support, including peer support groups, crisis intervention training and educational classes. On Saturday at noon at Olin Park, NAMIWalks is a chance to get together, share stories, get some exercise and raise money for the organization.
On the City Cast podcast today, NAMI Dane County Executive Director Jeanne McLellan talks about the organization and its work, and offers some other suggestions for maintaining mental health during the winter.
