As we head into February, the cumulative effect of short, cold and days can take a toll on our mental health. Reduced amounts of sunlight can cause a decrease in serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for mood, sleep and energy, among other things. The drop in serotonin can lead to an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Of course, the shorter days aren’t the only factor associated with depression — family history, stressful life events, grief and substance abuse are some other possible factors.
So, what can we do about it? We know that getting adequate sleep, eating a balanced diet and exercise all contribute to a better mood, but what else can we do? Here are a few tips:
Learn to manage your thoughts.
Anytime you’re feeling down or anxious, ask yourself, “what thought is creating this feeling?” When you can identify the specific thought(s) leading to the uncomfortable feeling, you can learn to challenge the thought and replace it with a more balanced thought. For example, if a friend forgot your birthday, you might feel hurt and angry, and think “she is inconsiderate and doesn’t care about me.” However, if instead, you chose to focus on the thought “she’s been really stressed and busy, I won’t take it personally,” you might feel more calm, accepting and forgiving. Learning to change thoughts that create suffering and replace them with more balanced thoughts can lead to a better mood and better results.
Allow yourself to feel your emotions.
We all love to feel happy, joyful and excited, but what about the other emotions — the uncomfortable ones? What happens when you feel sad, overwhelmed or rejected? Do you want to push those emotions away or numb them with food, alcohol or spending? It’s normal to not want to feel painful emotions, but avoiding or numbing them can lead to longer term anxiety, depression and stress. Recognize that even the uncomfortable emotions serve a purpose. If you’ve suffered a loss and feel sad, you should feel sad. That’s an appropriate emotional response to the situation. Emotions are temporary, and they will pass. If we can sit with them without judgement or assigning a negative label to them, we can better understand ourselves and learn to manage them better. When we better understand ourselves, we can have deeper, more meaningful relationships. Remember, all emotions are valid. Find healthy ways to express your emotions, like journaling, talking to a trusted friend, or engaging in physical activity.
Pay attention to your mind-body connection.
We not only experience emotions in our minds, but also in our bodies. Our mental and physical states affect each other. Many of us are disconnected from our bodies. We’re unaware of how our emotions affect our physical health and how our bodies give us clues about our emotional state. Strengthening the connection between your mind and body can help reduce stress, improve sleep, and increase self awareness. Pay attention to cues your body is giving you. Do you experience a pit in your stomach, a rapid heartbeat, or feel like there’s a weight on your chest when you’re feeling anxious? These are examples of some of the somatic symptoms of anxiety. Yoga, mindfulness, and meditation are ways to increase the mind-body connection.
Monitor what you’re ingesting.
If the news and social media stress you out, disengage from them! There is no rule that says you must be on social media or watch the news. Both of these platforms can create a lot of anxiety for people. If that’s true for you, give yourself permission to to abstain from them. Alcohol is another factor that can contribute to poor mental health — it may take the edge off in the short term, but those effects are short lived. The long term effects of alcohol on mental health create a tremendous amount of depression and anxiety. Take a break for a couple of weeks to see if you feel better.
Get professional help.
How do you know when it’s time to seek professional help? When normal, day-to-day responsibilities feel overwhelming, when you’re not experiencing pleasure in things that used to light you up, when you are feeling hopeless, it’s time to get help. To be clear, you can seek therapy at any time. It can be invaluable to have an objective person offer feedback to allow you a deeper understanding of yourself and those around you. Going to therapy can improve your self esteem, relationships, coping skills and give you tools to manage life’s stressors. There is incredible power in just feeling heard and having help processing your emotions. If you’re feeling stuck, it might be time to get professional help.
These are just a few tips to help improve your mental health. It’s normal to have a bad day once in a while, but when the bad days outnumber the good days, it’s time to get some support. You deserve it.