Kick Seasonal Affective Disorder to the Curb
How to avoid the winter blahs with knitting a few other favorites
Whether you have anxiety or get hit with seasonal affective disorder, knitting can be extremely helpful in melting away those feelings and leaving you with a happier, sense of accomplishment. In the knitting groups that I am in, we often chat during this time of year how something as simple as knitting can help to keep you happy and healthy. But, it’s no magic bullet, and for some, knitting on it’s own might not be enough. With buying a house, planning a wedding, and traveling overseas twice in as many months, my anxiety is creeping back up on me.
Even those who know me, might not know that anxiety for me can become crippling. Just the thought of traveling alone can send me into a bout. Knitting helps with this. In fact, during a previous job, when I was extremely unhappy, stressed and anxious, I would come straight home, pick up my needles and knit until bedtime. It drove my mom crazy, but she didn’t understand that I was using, no clinging, to knitting as a coping mechanism. Eventually it came to a head and we had a bit of an argument, through conversation we cleared the air, and she helped me to see that I needed another outlet. My mom suggested that I pick yoga back up, after all, it had helped tremendously during another, very similar time in my life. So I did. And after a few tear filled sessions on my mat, I was beginning to feel more like myself again. It wasn’t a miracle pill that made my job better, but it helped lift the tremendous weight of anxiety, so that I could proactively begin to find another option, another job.
So when I start to catch those feelings creeping back in, I know exactly what to do. Now, what I’m sharing is what helps me through anxiety and stress. I ski and hike during the winter and generally just love it, so Seasonal Affective Disorder doesn’t for lack of a better term, affect me that much. So you might think, well why is she writing this post? It’s because through sharing, this has helped others who are affected, and/or also generally have stress and anxiety.
For most of us, packing up and going to the beach isn’t an option, so here are a few other ways to kick seasonal affective disorder, and other debilitating emotions to the curb this winter.
Knitting Or Something Similar
Whether you love to knit like me, or prefer to paint, draw or even read a book – doing something that exercises your brain and provides a sense of accomplishment, paired with a release of creative energy does wonders for your emotional state. If you’re in a funk, try to find a small project to tackle that won’t take too much time. This will give you a little boost, and make taking that next step even easier.
Yoga and Meditation
If you’re opposed to yoga – my argument is that you haven’t tried it yet. You might think it’s new age-y or that it’s a too gentle, but it’s truly not the case. Yoga and meditation are physical and mentally demanding and go a very long way to helping you get back into balance. When you’re depressed, anxious or stress you, your mind and your body are out of balance. Yoga gets you back to that healthy state. It builds strength, often in muscle groups you tend to under utilize, it builds flexibility which is essential to health, and it helps to tone or restore other systems in your body as well – balancing your brain, your emotions, etc. If you still aren’t convinced, try another form of physical activity. The boost of endorphins alone will go a long way toward helping you feel better.
There are so many studios, online videos, and fun classes at places like your local museums happening that make grabbing a buddy and getting into this beneficial life practice super easy – and fun!
Get Outside
Yup – even if you hate winter, I want you to get out into it. The main reason we tend to dislike this season is that we let it prevent us from doing things outdoors. Did you catch that? Yes, we let winter hold us hostage. Does it really prevent you from walking? Hiking? Nope, not one bit. Grab a pair of boo
ts, put on some layers and a winter jacket – a hat and gloves (whether you’ve knit them or not) and get outside. If you’ve been following my posts, you’ll know that we live next to a beautiful park that has wonderful hiking trails, places to test out cross country skis (you can generally test them out or buy them from our local bike shop Top Gear), or walk around the plowed sidewalks down by the lake. Once you get out and see how beautiful winter can be, and how you can still get some exercise in out of doors, it’s no longer a terrible season.
Puppies – do you have a dog? Chances are, he or she could use more than a quick trip to the potty this winter. You’re not doing them any favors by staying indoors. Bundle them up if necessary, and get them playing in the snow too! Dog parks are great ways to socialize and get outside with other humans and pups. Hikes are a great way to have fun with your furbaby too!
Light
If you work a nine to five in the winter, I get it, the lack of sunlight can really get you down. And it definitely makes the last step a bit harder – but you can still get it in on the weekends. If you work and are affected by the shorter days, try taking a break from work during the day. Even if it’s just standing by a window and getting some sun for five minutes, or taking a lunch break to soak in some rays or get out of the office, it will do you some good. Light some candles. They won’t replace the sun, but fire – the scents and sounds that come with it can be so relaxing. Pair a candle with a hot bath and you can soak the stress away. I’ve never personally tried the lamps with different colored lights but have heard from others that they work as well.
Unless you have seasonal affective disorder or anxiety so badly that it’s physically crippling, these steps can help you learn to hate winter less. Try some of them and you might end up liking or even loving the season by the end of February. Yes trying some of these things are outside of your comfort zone – but suffering isn’t exactly comfortable either.
