Dear Daniel,
Can you offer some tips for folks who are feeling perpetually ‘down in the dumps’ due to winter weather/lack of sunlight/freezing cold temps? I do my best to exercise regularly, eat well, and sleep enough, but sometimes those tactics just aren’t enough to beat seasonal blues.
Dear Winter Blues,
This winter has been particularly challenging for all of us. Grey, freezing cold days and endless snow, ice, and dirty frozen Brooklyn streets are certainly not a recipe for igniting a joyful spirit.
With that said, I encourage you to be mindful of the nature of “impermanence”. These feelings, the cold days, and the winter blues are not permanent. Like all other facets of life the feelings tied to this current reality will shift and change soon enough. Bring this into your awareness and practice letting the darker feelings go to create space for light and warmth. Keep reminding yourself that Spring is right around the corner.
Aside from the aforementioned, you appear to be right where you should be: eating well, exercising, and sleeping well. Practice being mindful of the temporary season…it too shall pass.
I would be remiss not to say that Seasonal Affective Disorder can feel debilitating at times and overwhelming and processing the feelings could be of great value.
Another tip is to get outside, despite the weather, and make sure to expose yourself to natural light! Try skiing or snow-shoeing or just taking a day to walk through Prospect Park where the snow is actually quite pretty. Also make sure you’re near a window as much as possible. A little bit of sunlight can go a long way.
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