Ahh ooh it’s the joyous time of great food, great holidays, movies, gifts, and hanging with the family….but what about the other side of Happiness at the holidays?
This may be different for all of us but it can also mean Seasonal Depression which is a thing we may all get from time to time and some feel it in full effects as the next Nor’Easter is dumping fresh snow.
Us here in New England are on top of the list for the Winter Blues and for Seasonal depression.
First let’s define the difference between the two:
Winter Blues:
The feeling of sadness from time to time
Due to cold temps
And in-ability to get outside as much as you usually do
Less warm sun
But you have normal function in your day to day
Seasonal Depression:
You lose interest in activities you love to do
Loss of interest in foods that you love
Increased cravings of foods with sugar or carbohydrates
Loss of energy and feeling more tired even if you get plenty of sleep
Sadness on a regular basis
Hyper-insomnia
Luckily I have a couple easy tips to think about as you feel the Winter Blues setting in or your Seasonal Depression picking up:
1. Take a 20 minute walk
a. If you can get outside and smell the fresh air it will add a boost to the positive effects of fresh air, nature, and new scenery.
2. Grab the Vitamin D.
a. Set your sights on 4000-5000 IU’s per day
b. Vitamin D will boost energy
3. Plan a Fun Activity
a. The key to this one is sticking to the plans.
b. As I always say “Showing up is the hardest part”…make it happen and fun will work for you
4. Fitness. Strength. Power. Energy to the rescue
a. Being involved in a regular strength programs like here at Rockstar Fitness with me is a huge part of increasing
-BDNF-a Protein that boost learning and memory
-Releases Endorphins the “feel-good” stuff to boost your mood
-Fights Depression by decreasing level of stress hormones
-A feeling of community, friends and belonging to a group
5. If you feel overwhelmed please reach out to a professional.
Winter is hard here in the Granite State so let’s make the winter an enjoyable one in our own way!
Stay Powerful Rockstar Nation.
-Jake Cheney
Rockstar Fitness, LLC.
References:
UC Davis Health
11-29-23
Medically Reviewed by
Clinical psychologist Gloria Petruzzelli