Boost your Mood
MEDICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH UPDATE
Golly jeez, you ALL deserve a prize. First for making it to Monday, and second for making me laugh out loud.
Last week I invited you to send me bits of humor, and WOW you all crushed it! I particularly enjoyed the bra-wearing dog, the bartender blind date mix-up, and the playlist devoted ENTIRELY to potty humor. You people are amazing!!
But first prize goes to a reader in Seattle whose talking dog video made me howl. Her reward? Gifts including this gem from DC’s beloved Proper Topper (owned by my kick-ass friend Anna).
AND NOW: a gentle pivot from humor to the ongoing horror show we’re living through—with some ideas for managing your mood.
With daylight savings, we’re now facing darker days, colder weather, and, for some, seasonal affective disorder (or SAD). This mood disorder is a subtype of major depression that has a seasonal component and tends to occur more in older adults, children and adolescents.
Layered on top of COVID-related blues and depression, seasonal mood disturbances threaten to push people further into darkness this winter. It’s already bringing some people to their knees. It is driving people to feel hopeless, joyless, and alone. It is enabling addiction and self-harm. It is making people sick.
Indeed, the combination of political unrest, ongoing racial injustice, and the surging pandemic is taking an enormous toll on our mood. We are grieving the loss of our routines, social structures, and the lives of loved ones. We are traumatized yet stripped of our normal coping mechanisms connecting with friends and family.
Symptoms of SAD overlap quite a lot with depression and include:
Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
Having low energy
Having problems with sleeping
Experiencing changes in your appetite or weight
Feeling sluggish or agitated
Having difficulty concentrating
Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty
Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide
Oversleeping
Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
Weight gain
Tiredness or low energy
If you have any of these symptoms, the first step is talking to your doctor. I’m seeing a lot of patients experiencing depression for the first time.
Whether or not you have pre-existing, COVID-induced, or seasonal depression symptoms, we all need a plan to get through the winter. The current stresses on our bodies and minds are unprecedented, and a little prevention goes a long way for our mental health.
So let’s plan ahead. In addition to seeking individualized recommendations from your own doctor, here are five strategies to boost your mood:
Schedule exercise. Physical activity boosts our serotonin and dopamine levels (the “happy” hormones), discharges adrenaline (the “stress” hormone), and is good for our heart, lungs, and skeletal health. So schedule exercise like you do your Zoom calls. Ideally engage in physical activity every day—even if it’s only for 10 minutes. Plan NOW for the coldest days ahead. And consider investing in home exercise equipment or find an online class you like. You are more likely to practice yoga with Adrienne if you get into a routine now!
Take regular mental vacations where you don’t check emails or your phone. We all need days (or weeks) away from the hum of social media, TV, and news inputs. We need to un-glue our eyeballs from screens. We need brain rest. We need scene changes. We need time just to be. Mental breaks are not only essential for our mood, they reduce stress and open the door for creativity and joy.
Consider purchasing a light box. These nifty gadgets mimic outdoor light and really pack a punch. Researchers believe this type of light causes a chemical change in the brain that lifts mood and eases other symptoms of SAD. Sitting in front of a light box at your desk or at the kitchen counter for 15-20 minutes each morning can be a nice adjunct to other treatments for mood. But they aren’t magic or even FDA approved. So try one if you feel blue, down, or depressed, but don’t rely on this $37 plug-in for complete relief.
Plan social activities. Human beings are wired for connection and social engagement. COVID has already pulled us apart, exacerbating loneliness, isolation, and depression. Add cold weather and seasonal blues, and some of us will further withdraw. Let’s remember to check on our friends and co-workers this winter, particularly those who live alone. And to prevent our own winter doldrums, schedule Zoom calls, outdoor walks, or socially distanced backyard hangouts with friends and neighbors—even when it seems easier to putter around in PJs all weekend. Evan small sips of socializing can do wonders for our health.
Reach out to a therapist. This is your moment to get added support. If not now, when? There are so many wonderful online support groups, counselors, and psychologists out there. Ask your doctor for resources, or check out the SAMHSA website for starters. Common misconceptions about seeking professional help are that a) you have to feel desperate to ask for it or b) you have to know exactly what to say in therapy. NOPE! You can leave it to the PROs to help you troubleshoot issues with mood, stress, grief, and loss of any variety and degree. It’s normal to need help—and healthy to seek it out.
And tonight, on election eve, when you’re feeling particularly vulnerable and afraid, take a break from the news, unwind to relaxing music, and design your mood-boosting survival “kit” for the winter. When the world feels out of control, it’s important to remember what we can control to help ourselves from the inside out.
I’ll check in later this week. Until then, be well.