December 21st’ marks the beginning of the Winter solstice; the shortest day of the year. Here in Colorado that’s only 9 hours 21 minutes and 14 seconds of daylight. Some of us are at work the entire time. You get on the bus in the dark and come home in the dark. Sounds, ugh, pretty dark? The darkness can play tricks on our minds at what can be a challenging time of year – winter and holidays.
This time of year can bring on stress, as well as feelings of depression and anxiety that the lack of daylight might trigger. Here are four things that you can do to help re-energize and get through the first part of winter:
A) Get some sunlight – Light, whether psychological and or biochemical, can stimulate energy. Sunlight can stimulate us whether it is in the chemical form of vitamin D, or it is just providing us the mental stimulus to re-energize ourselves. Even though the weather may be completely miserable outside (and we can’t emphasize this enough) get outside. Get out no matter what weather you may encounter. Bundle up. Put on some good boots so you don’t slip if there is snow on the ground. Get outside even if just for 10-20 minutes to give yourself the break of daylight. Start a spontaneous snowball fight with your kids. Go for a walk with your family. Find friends and coworkers to go outdoors with you. If it’s too cold and uncomfortable spend some time at a window.
B) Make sure to get exercise - No excuses. Try to get 20 -30 minutes of cardio or strength work per day. Get to the gym- this time of year IT IS OFTEN EMPTY!
C) Take mental breaks – Spending time with family and friends can be stressful. It’s OK to get alone time (some folks thrive on it!) It’s OK to step away for a bit. Let family and friends know in advance of your need for alone time to help reassure them and minimize their taking offense.
D) Reframe - This time of year can be a celebration of light – from Christmas decorations to Hanukkah menorahs; celebrate the light. December 21st marks the beginning of the solstice –daylight from this point through June will be getting longer. It may seem trivial at first – a few minutes here, a few minutes the next day, but it builds up quickly with a lot more daylight by early February. If the lack of daylight is bothering you, look at the calendar and remind yourself that tomorrow will bring a few minutes of more light, and by next week even more.
Above all, even if this time of year can be a challenge – schedule time for yourself. Know at lunch time you’ll be going for a short walk. Know that at 5:30AM you’ll be at the gym, or at 9PM you will be taking time to do some yoga, or light stretching before bed. Whether you take 5-10-15 minutes, the length of time you schedule doesn’t matter. Mark it on your calendar and make it happen.