Dreading January & February?
If you’re struggling to cope this post-holiday season, you are not alone. Tons of people crash after all the stress of Christmas, even though during the holidays they thought they couldn’t wait to get past it all! Even though Christmas was also colder and much darker than the rest of the year, too, there is something about January and February that just feels worse. Maybe it’s vacation being over or less time with family or less to do…or maybe it’s a little more serious.
Millions of Americans suffer from a seasonal form of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder (also known quite appropriately as SAD). SAD is thought to be the result of darker days- ie less sunlight- which ends up altering the mood. Those in higher altitudes can suffer more severely since they have even less sunlight. Usually SAD subsides as the days get longer again in the spring. However mild or serious the case of SAD is though, it’s important not to struggle alone or feel that there’s nothing you can do.
Warm Up & Brighten Up!
There are several options for treating SAD. I’d like to focus on more “natural” remedies that anyone can try without a prescription and without side effects. That said, check out these office remedies.
- Warm up! Winter is cold. Plain and simple. If you don’t have access to a thermostat or find that you are still cold, there are some great ergonomic products made just for you! You won’t need them all, but just using a heated keyboard, heated mouse, or heated foot pad will keep your fingers and feet (the outer extremities of your body) toasty warm and much more likely to keep working well. Plus, you won’t dread coming to work or feel the need to dress in 17 layers.
- Brighten up! Whether you don’t like the dark, or, like millions of others, you actually suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), adding light through the use of light therapy is sure to brighten your work space and your mood! An improved mood usually aides in productivity. Plus, it’s portable, so you can take it home with you for the long evenings and late-to-arrive mornings, too. Many people enjoy them in their kitchens.
Don’t dread these early months- make the most of them by staying warm and feeling less depressed even if you suffer from SAD.