in honor of daylight savings making the days last longer and the increase in temperature we’ve had recently, i wanna talk about something important: the winter blues. the actual clinical term is seasonal affective disorder, which describes the tendency to start feeling down and unmotivated when it’s super cold and gloomy out for months on end. for me, this typically kicks in right when it starts to get cold out in the fall and then again after the holidays are done aka when they stop playing christmas movies on the hallmark channel.
this year, my winter blues hit hard af so i want to share how i’ve been working to fight against them. so i’m not a morning person. never have been, i don’t think i ever will be, but it’s a work in progress. waking up at 6am every morning for work goes against my entire being. so around the middle of january, i started noticing that i was having extra difficulty dragging myself out of bed. i’d snooze my alarm 8 times instead of 7 (no, seriously). and i’d find myself just dragging my feet and feeling mentally/emotionally/physically heavy.
first things first, if you know me, you know i work in the counseling/therapy field. one of the popular recommendations to address the winter blues is a light therapy lamp. when i first started to research this, i was wondering if it was more of a placebo effect or something of a gimmick. but when my winter blues started to really take on all different shades of blue, i was like.. what the f do i have to lose by purchasing this d*mn lamp?!?!
yes, i know, my happy lamp looks like an ipad. FYI, you have to make sure it’s at least 10,000 lux to be therapeutic. i cannot stress this enough guys – this thing is MAGICAL. all you need is about 15-20 minutes with it near you (it’s too blinding for it to be right in front of your face so 10/10 don’t recommend that) in order to feel its effect. i keep this lamp on my kitchen island where i eat breakfast and the first thing i do when i wake up is turn it on. on the weekends, i keep it on my bedside table to turn on right when i wake up because i’m not getting out of bed the second my alarm rings.
i noticed a difference in my mood within an hour after using it the first time. i was ready for work and about to leave my apartment earlier than i normally would be, which actually means i was ready to leave at the time i’m technically supposed to. i legit thought i had missed a step in my routine. i find that i have lasting energy throughout the day, feel a lot brighter, and better able to manage stress. i also don’t feel like i could go to bed right after i get off work. i can’t say enough good things about it. i’m in a long-term committed relationship with my happy lamp.
the second thing i invested in to tackle the winter blues, and quite possibly any blues that come up through any season, was a weighted blanket. i had been hearing lots of people rave about how weighted blankets help anxiety and depression. it’s supposed to feel like a nice hug which can be really comforting when you’re just not feeling well emotionally or physically. i realized that this might be something i need when i was laying on the couch once having awful cramps and feeling like i wanted to be squished with 237489273 blankets. i specifically searched for pink weighted blankets on amazon because if you know me, you know it had to be pink.
this one was quite the investment my friends. but it’s worth it. it’s also really f*cking heavy even though it’s 15 pounds. i legit struggled to get it out of the box it came in, and then struggled more to get it out of its bag. then i think i gave up because i was out of breath. folding and unfolding this thing is a work out, something i don’t do enough of on a regular basis so it’s probably a good thing i bought a blanket that requires lifting weights to use it. it’s super comforting and on days when i just want to curl up on the couch and have everything i need be within arm’s reach, it really comes in clutch. you just gotta remember to lift with your knees, not with your back.
i want to stress that these two items are not only good for the winter blues, but are really good if you struggle with anxiety and depression, or other mental health issues, all year round. so although an ipad-looking lamp might seem skeptical, i promise it’s not! it was initially hard for me to spend the money on these things because i was like, psh i don’t need those. but when i realized i’d spend that same amount of money on makeup or clothes without even thinking twice, i realized i had to get my priorities in check. it’s SO important to invest in your self-care. you gotta do you boo! and with that, i’m off. have a happy and safe st. patty’s day!
