oping
with holiday blues involves setting modest goals and establishing priorities,
says psychology professor Lynn Rehm. "Some people have unrealistic ideas
that the holidays are going patch up all problems that existed in the family.
Don't feel you have to do everything.
The winter blues get this Why Filer down. Had she
only followed our suggestions, she'd be glowing.
You don't have to go to every party or send everybody a Christmas card, or buy presents for too many people." Instead, he says, do the things you enjoy, and spend time with the people you enjoy. Whether you're subject to holiday blues or SAD, you can help protect yourself with some simple tips.
Mind
your mood and energy. Don't wait until you're totally sunk in a Scrooge-like
funk before taking action.
Plan
to be active when fall falls.
Convince
yourself that you will enjoy winter. Find winter activities -- whether
ice fishing,
ice boating
or ice skating.
Get
bright light, the more the better. Find excuses to go outside on sunny
days, especially to exercise.
Get
more exercise.
Don't
feel ashamed of needing help. You'll find that even psychologists and
psychiatrists suffer SADness.
If
something works, try it again next year. If it doesn't, dump it. This
is about self-help, not self-flagellation.
Sitting in front of a bright light can help alleviate the symptoms of SAD.
But follow yer doc's orders!
AlaskaNorthernLights.com's light box.
Read our blue bibliography.
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