As we almost start the winter season, we have many people around the world who suffer stress and anxiety. About 5% of Americans begin to exhibit seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Women are four times more likely to experience it. What is SAD and what causes it? What are some good self-care practices to combat winter stress and anxiety? Let’s examine the answers to these questions in this blog post.
What is Winter Stress and Anxiety?
Many people around this time of the year deal with so much stress and anxiety. Why is this the case? This is because many people suffer from (SAD) during this season. I shared about this condition before in previous blog posts, but it’s a depressive disorder when you start to experience significant changes in your mood due to the change of seasons. Most people are tired of the dreary, dark, and snowy weather that the winter season usually gives us, causing them to become depressed a lot during this time. They may also be busier in the winter season than in the previous seasons. Some of the common triggers for SAD could include a lack of sunlight, busy shopping for some who celebrate the holidays, and disrupted routines.
However, self-care could be just what you need to manage your mental and emotional well-being. There’s nothing wrong with being there for others. But it’s vital to ensure you’re okay physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Doing a personal check-in with yourself could be exactly what you need to combat winter stress and anxiety.
Self-Care Practices to Combat Winter Stress and Anxiety
When striving to cope with the challenges of managing winter stress and anxiety, it’s important to incorporate a few self-care practices into your routine. Dealing with stress and anxiety could especially be hard during this season because you’re often inside normally in isolation. It doesn’t help that the weather is snowy, cold, and dreary. But there are plenty of ways you can keep your mood up even during this time of the year. Try one of these four effective self-care practices to help you mentally, emotionally, and physically this season.
Exercise for Boosting Your Mood
It’s always important to stay physically active, no matter what season you’re in. But it’s especially important during the winter season. Exercising always puts you in a great mood. One of the best ways to stay active this season is to go out and start walking around a park. That way you’ll be getting some much-needed fitness and Vitamin D. You can also try signing up for an exercise class. This will be beneficial for your physical and social health.
Getting Consistent Quality of Sleep
Going to sleep at a decent time each night is another effective self-care practice to combat winter stress and anxiety. By getting the recommended seven hours or more sleep per night, you’ll be lowering your risk of stress and anxiety. The older you get, the more important it is for you to do this. You’ll also be lowering your risk of other health issues such as cardiovascular disease.
Pampering Yourself with Winter-Friendly Cosmetic Products
Winter stress and anxiety could also have an impact on your skin’s health. It could also cause physical pain or aches. So keeping your skin healthy by moisturizing it daily is also essential. I mentioned essential oils as being good sources for relieving dry skin and muscle aches. However, there are plenty of other cosmetic products that contain natural ingredients you can find in stores.
Staying Connected to Your Loved Ones
If you live in an area known for cold weather like myself, you’ll likely be staying at home most of the time. Because of this, you must stay in contact with your loved ones as much as possible. Choosing to isolate yourself from them will only make you more stressed and anxious. But always staying in contact with people who care about you will only benefit you mentally and emotionally.
Build a Winter Self-Care Routine
Besides building a winter-friendly wardrobe, you have to build a winter stress and anxiety self-care routine. Engaging in self-care practices to combat winter stress and anxiety will help alleviate your mental or emotional issues. So by staying connected to your loved ones, exercising frequently, getting consistent quality of sleep each night, and pampering yourself with winter-friendly products, you’ll be doing better in managing your winter stress and anxiety.
Have you ever dealt with winter stress and anxiety? What are your usual self-care practices for combating winter stress and anxiety? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. As always, be sure to like or share this post with the next person you know who suffers from anxiety during this season.
