Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), aka winter blues, affects every 1 in 20 people in the UK. So if the cold winter nights and grey days make you feel less energetic than usual, know you’re not alone. The symptoms of SAD vary from person to person and in their intensity British Assignments Help, so even if you’re not depressed and are only feeling unusually lethargic, don’t brush it off.
Here are a few symptoms to look out for (you may not necessarily experience all of them):
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Agitation
- Frequent thoughts of death or suicide
- Insomnia or hypersomnia
- Lack of focus
- Lack of interest in activities
- Low energy
- Overeating, particularly with a craving for carbohydrates
- Social withdrawal (feeling like “hibernating”)
Our British assignments help experts understand the fall and winter seasons can be a tough time for students. If they’re already burdened with a lot of work, this may affect them even worse. So, how do you fight this?
We’ve compiled some tried-and-tested methods for you. Have a look:
1. Let there be Light
One of the biggest reasons why winter blues hit us so badly is because our body’s circadian rhythm is thrown off. Sunlight provides serotonin, which helps us remain energetic during the day. The absence of it produces melatonin in our bodies, which promotes sleep.
Now, during the winter days, there’s not much sunlight, which means less serotonin in your body and more melatonin. This imbalance makes for the dullness you feel during this time. British Assignments Help A good way to counter this is to get as much natural light as possible.
Sure, there won’t be much sunshine, but you can get out at sunrise to bask in the little sun you can get. Even 20-30 minutes a day can have a massive impact on your body’s internal clock and, ultimately, your winter blues.
If you can’t get out early in the morning, you can get a dawn simulator or a lightbox (available at NHS) to get some light therapy. The dawn simulator will mimic a sunrise in your room, while the lightbox provides bright light (10x more than the ordinary). It’s recommended for use in the morning. And for obvious reasons, you shouldn’t look directly at it. Instead, do some chores around your room as normal while it’s plugged in.
2. It’s Time to Move It!
During winters, when your instinct is to curl up and hibernate in a fort of blankets and pillows, it’s better to get moving and exercise your muscles. It will work your muscles and get you energized for the day. If you’re living in Scotland, there are over 550 health walk groups every week all over the country, so you can join those. After all, getting some company will incentivize you to get on with this activity every day.
If you’re living anywhere else in the UK and there are no such walk groups around you, how about initiating one? You won’t be the only one suffering from winter blues, so make it an activity and invite your peers to it. It will be fun, and you can all improve your energy levels for the day.
3. No to the Bad Chomping Habits
Studies show a clear relationship between bad eating habits and mental health. So, if you are prone to depression, be more careful about your diet during fall and winter.
Yes, comfort foods are great, but your health is more important. You need to get that in order before anything else. So, add more fruits and veggies to your diet and see how that improves your mood.
In our personal experience, getting some healthy yet yummy snacks gives a great incentive to healthy eating. Here are some of our favorites you can take inspiration from and add to your diet:
- Yoghurt with mandarin segments or other fruit slices of choice
- Muffins with low-fat cream cheese
- Toasted malt loaf topped with strawberries
- Hummus and sugar snap peas
- Hummus and veggie fingers
- Boiled eggs
- Fruit kebabs
- Cherry tomatoes
- Scotch pancakes
- Crumpets
You can use your creativity and make more fun combos with other healthy ingredients.
4. Level Up in Socials and Activities
Being connected with people gives you a sense of comfort. So, make sure you have that locked down. Make time to hang out with friends, spend time with your family, and get involved in any events if you can. Holidays are a great time for volunteer events, so you can do some good while you’re working on your social skills.
Holidays are also a great time for public events, so look into the ones around your area and join in the festivities. And if that’s not your thing, you can always engage in doing things you love. A fan of crafting? It’s time to bring out your supplies. A bookworm? Time to hack away at your TBR (to be read) pile. A video game enthusiast? Make use of holiday discounts, purchase your favorite games, and play! There will be something to enjoy, so immerse yourself in it and boost your happy hormones.
5. Talk Therapy
If your symptoms go from bad to worse, it’s possible none of the above remedies will do much to appease your suffering. So, it’s time to talk to a healthcare professional.
Therapy can work wonders for depressive episodes, so make sure you get the right help. For instance, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) provides longer positive effects. Getting it ensures you’ll be equipped with tools to battle your winter blues for longer.
Call on your support system if you can’t go to the professionals for any reason. Talking things out will really help you make sense of your feelings and help you feel better. Additionally, a sympathetic shoulder always holds the ability to provide much-needed support. It might be just the thing you need in your trying times.
6. Go On a Break
If things get too bleak, take a break from everything. And holidays are the perfect time to do so! If you can, plan a short trip or vacation with friends or family. This will provide a change of environment for you. Also, any time spent with loved ones is always a mood enhancer. It’s a win-win!
On your trip, forget about your troubles for a little while and simply focus on having fun. It will help you—and even the rest of the people in your group—get out of winter blues.
7. Dump It on Experts
If things get too much for you to handle, it’s alright to ask for help. You can hire a reliable British Assignments Help writing company for your projects to get other things in order. However, don’t get too anxious about seeking our professionals. Remember, your mental health is more important. With experts on your side, you will free up some time for yourself where you can complete other urgent tasks and make time for some much-needed rest. Your workload will also become more manageable, so you can take it from there easily.
UK Academic Writers are a great option for you if you want to get a trustworthy team on your side. You can get assistance with writing and editing complete projects or parts of them. You can customize your order and only pay for what you need, so it’s a cheaper option than the rest. Try it out today!
