Don't Worry, Be Happy

The long lazy days of summer are officially over. Autumn, with its beautiful display of red and gold colors, is here. But despite the beauty of the season, it is also a reminder that soon we'll be turning back our clocks. The days will get shorter, the nights longer. Some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. If your symptoms include tiredness, fatigue, depression, irritability, trouble concentrating, etc., then according to the US National Library of Medicine, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), better known as winter depression or winter blues, is believed to be caused from the lack of bright light during the winter months. So what can you do about it? According to medicine.net the answer is light therapy. And the light does not have to be actual daylight from the sun. Phototherapy or light therapy is commercially sold in the form of a light box which is used for 30 minutes daily. This light is approximately 25 times brighter than your living room light.

*What else can you do to combat the "winter blues"? You can give yourself something to look forward to each day.

• Get out and enjoy nature - fresh air and sunshine are terrific mood boosters.
• Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers.
• Meet a good friend(s) for lunch and share trials and triumphs in a supportive atmosphere.
• Listen to music that puts you in a good mood.
• Replace negative thinking - the "why does everything happen to me" thoughts - with self-affirming talk (I deserve to be happy and healthy!).
• Interact with a child, laugh and let your "inner child" out to play.
• Create something with your hands.
• Pursue a goal.
• Buy something new.
• Get a massage - for two...

It doesn't have to cost much to give yourself small gifts of pleasure every day. Now you decide just what to add your list.

Namaste

*Excerpted from When You Need a Timeout.