Between 10 and 20 percent of Americans are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is a form of depression that affects individuals at certain times of the year. For many people, this depression comes during the winter.
It makes sense. Many people have to stay indoors more during the winter. The wintertime is also when a majority of the family-oriented holidays occur. All of these things can contribute to someone’s SAD. However, there are some things you can do to better your seasonal depression.
Practice Self-Care
One of the best ways to defeat depression is giving yourself a bit of extra care. Practicing good self-care techniques can help you feel better about yourself, and simply feel better overall.
If you’ve been down the health-and-beauty aisle recently you know that not many self-care products are very cheap. Special lotions, creams, masks, and other products can begin to add up. If you’re not doing well financially, this can add to your anxiety and depression.
Have no fear! There are plenty of self-care techniques you can pull off on a budget.
- Practice yoga. One of the best and most affordable ways to practice self-care is practicing yoga or stretching. Finding time to stretch out your muscles and simply breathe can create a good headspace for productivity and overall happiness. If you haven’t ever done yoga before, you don’t have to pay for an expensive class either. There are plenty of free classes online.
- Buy scented candles. Sometimes adding certain scents to your environment can lower anxiety and decrease the effects of depression. You can burn candles, wax, or oils in your home to help reduce your seasonal depression. (Lemon is great for anxiety.)
- Exercise. Exercising is another great self-care technique that is absolutely free. You don’t have to go to a gym to get exercise. Going out for a walk or run is a great way to get some exercise and fresh air. You can also check out all of the great workouts they have online and do them in the comfort of your own home.
- Write it down. Journaling is one of my personal favorite self-care techniques. Obviously, I love to write. I blog for a living. However, journaling can allow you to release feelings that have built up. You can get all of your stress out on paper and leave it there. For that reason, it is a great and pretty much free self-care idea.
- Get your rest. Sleeping is free and it can help your depression significantly. Obviously, you don’t want to spend all of your time in bed but make sure you are getting the proper rest. For adults, it is recommended that you get six to 10 hours of sleep every night.
- Pamper yourself a little. There are plenty of great DIY self-care kits on Pinterest. Each of them is relatively cheap to make and it can put you in a great place mentally. Taking a little time to do something for yourself, can help you create an entirely different mindset. Even if it is just a 30-minute bubble bath, take a minute to pamper yourself a little.
No matter what you are going through, there is always someone able to help. Focusing on good self-care techniques is a great place to start but sometimes more help is needed. You can always call the Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.
Do you have any great, low-cost self-care tricks? Share them in the comments below!
