Transform Your Winter Blues into Winter Creativity
If the colder weather and shorter days of winter cause you to feel less creative and more blue, you’re not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is estimated to affect 10 million Americans, and it typically lasts about 40 percent of the year. Learn how to beat the winter blues and stay creative.
Every layout comes with the latest social features built in. Readers will be able to easily share posts on social networks like Facebook and Twitter, view how many people have liked a post, made comments and more. With Wix, building your online community has never been easier.
What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder (Sad) Or the Winter Blues?
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) typically feel the symptoms in the fall or early winter and begin to feel better in the spring, with longer daylight hours. Some people may experience depressive episodes during the spring and summer months; this is called summer-pattern SAD or summer depression, but this is less common.
SYMPTOMS
Decreased energy
No motivation
Problems with sleep – lack or oversleeping
Loss of interest
Feeling sluggish or agitated
Increased appetite and weight gain
Having difficulty concentrating
Social withdrawal (feeling like “hibernating”)
Eat Foods That Nourish Creativity
One of the first things you should focus on when combating the winter blues is your health. Eating healthy and practicing healthy habits will set the foundation, so you have more energy and nutrients that support creativity.
For more info and recipes, check out the best foods to boost creativity and healthy living.
NUTRITION TIPS FOR THE WINTER BLUES
Stay hydrated – drink plenty of water
Limit sugar intake
Eat lean proteins
Eat items with folic acid
Some research has shown that folic acid can have a positive effect on the brain and can boost your mood.
Foods that have folic acid include leafy greens, oatmeal, oranges, fortified cereals, lentils, black-eyed peas, and soybeans
Drink less or no alcohol
Make sure you get your daily dose of Vitamin D also known as the “sunshine vitamin”
BEST FOODS FOR CREATIVITY
Fish
Avocado
Eggs
Berries
Bananas
Mixed Nuts
Broccoli
Oats
Dark Chocolate
Squash
Decorate Your Space for Well-Being
Your environment plays a crucial role in your mental health and well-being. Decorating and creating space for better well-being can help beat the winter blues. Learn how to make a creative workspace.
TIPS
Decorate with bright warm colors
Stimulate your senses
Introduce live plants
Change out your art
Mirrors for reflecting light and increase room size
Clean and reduce clutter
Practice minimalism
Fill the space with positive and uplifting music
Use a Sun Lamp
Embrace the Danish Art of Hygge
CREATIVE INTERIOR DESIGN
How to Make a Creative Workspace
Best Plants for Creativity
15 Meditation Tools to Support Well-Being and Creativity
Get Moving - Exercise Regularly
One of the quickest ways to combating winter blues is exercise. A study done by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that running for 15 minutes a day or walking for an hour reduces the risk of major depression by 26%. Another study found that exercise under bright lights improved general mental health, social functioning, depressive symptoms, and vitality.
TIPS
Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of activity on most days.
Exercise under bright lights
Try exercises that are continuous and rhythmic
Rhythmic exercise like walking, swimming, weight training, martial arts, or dancing has the most benefits for treating depression
Increase energy with cycling workouts
For more workout tips, check out the Creative Enso Fitness board on Pinterest.
Prioritize Time for Self-Care
Self-care is the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own physical, mental, and emotional health. Because you’re stuck inside more during the winter and spend more time being less social, winter is a great time to prioritize self-care and define what it means for you. Self-care can be separated into five categories, physical, social, mental, spiritual, and emotional. When defining self-care for yourself and what type you need, the most important thing is to learn more about yourself. That’s what self-care is really about. As winter blues bring up new anxieties and depression, turn into it and learn more about your own needs so you can better care for yourself during hard times.
SELF-CARE TIPS FOR WINTER BLUES
Dedicate 15 minutes a day for self-care
Define what self-care means to you
Create a habit of journalling
Watch how you talk to yourself
Get off social media
Sleep
Treat yourself!
Take small actions
Make plans with friends and extended family members
Start a New Project / Learn Something New
When the winter blues have your anxiety spinning and clouding your mind with distracting thoughts, one of the best things you can do is change your focus. Most people spend less time going out during the winter, so if you have more time to yourself, start a new project, learn a new skill, focus your mind on creative endeavors.
TIPS
Meditation
Journalling
Write a story
Cooking
Start or Join a Creative Community
When dealing with the winter blues, it’s important to remember you’re not alone. Since others are also dealing with this, you can help each other by joining or starting a creative community.
TIPS
תגובות