Tips for Seasonal Depression from an Energy Worker
By Emily Hisel
Autumn in the Midwest; though it is a very beautiful and joyous time for some, can be dreadfully depressing for those who experience seasonal affective disorder. Autumn marks the beginning of the cold darkness of winter, and this is most noticeable when Daylight Savings Time causes sundown to be at 4:30PM.
When we have less sunlight during the day, symptoms of SAD (seasonal affective disorder) can creep in. Here’s what to look for in terms of symptoms:
-Feeling tired all the time or feeling like you’re sleeping too much
-Craving starchy foods or sugar
-Depressed mood, low self-esteem
-Unexplained aches and pains
-Feeling angry or irritable
-Use of drugs or alcohol for comfort
-Low sex drive
-Feelings of sadness/hopelessness
Do you experience some or all of these symptoms during the colder months? If you do, you’re quite likely to have seasonal depression. This is due to the changes in circadian rhythms and how it affects the body’s production of hormones including melatonin and serotonin.
From exercise to medication, there are many things you can do to alleviate these symptoms, but what I want to give you is a guide to seasonal sadness with a sprinkle of mysticism. As both a depression sufferer and energy worker, here are a few ways that I lessen the woes of winter:
Surviving Winter Reiki-Style
Rituals
What is a ritual? --A ritual is any practice that you regularly perform with intention. This means that, yes, your morning coffee routine is a ritual as long as you are present for the duration of the task. While you are making that coffee, the only thoughts that should pass through your consciousness should be what you are experiencing in front of you presently. Do not think about the unread emails or whether you should have cereal or eggs for breakfast--only think, “pour water”, “coffee smells nice”, and “drip, drip, drip”. When you are fully and completely present for this task, it starts to tickle your senses and enlivens the spirit. You will go from, “here I go again... making coffee” to “wow how amazing it is that I get to take time to experience this magical transformation from bean to caffeinated liquid!”
Non-Judgement
Practicing non-judgment is probably the most important tip for surviving winter Reiki-style, but it can also be the most difficult. Consistently practicing non-judgement means you release pride and ego and allow yourself to be gentle and forgiving. This means when you inevitably fall short or “mess up” in life, you forgive yourself and let it go rather than dwelling on the perceived failure.
Being in a non-judgemental relationship with yourself will free you from the constant negative self-talk of depression because depression actually is just a cancer of the thoughts. And just like cancer, depression will spread to the entire body when it’s not dealt with from the source. Amputate judgement=free your mind.
Grounding
Grounding practices are so important during the winter months because it is so easy to want to be outside of your physical body when you’re practically freezing. The problem with that is when we energetically remove ourselves from our physical environment, we lose presence and disconnect with reality. One effective way to ground yourself during the winter is to do frequent body check-ins. Are you breathing normally or holding your breath because of the frigid cold? Are you walking with your shoulders up to your ears in an attempt to stay warm? If you are standing in the wind waiting for the El, are your feet solid and sturdy or do you lack physical balance. These regular body check-ins will place your attention back into your body, activating your base chakras to promote safety and security (and warmth!).
Gratitude
Lastly, there’s no healing without gratitude so be sure to make it a daily practice. It’s so easy in the winter to complain about the cold, the darkness, the street parking-- allow yourself to reframe at any moment (even if it feels like a lie). Instead of, “it’s so cold!” say to yourself, “wow isn’t this cool air invigorating?” It may seem silly at first, like you’re trying to trick a child into eating vegetables, but it works!
Every morning I try to remember to say something along the lines of, “I’m so happy and grateful to be waking up today because ___”. By saying that over and over it eventually did make me happy and grateful because I have a warm bed, my health, a roof over my head, and a yummy breakfast awaiting me--things we often take for granted.
Even with all these tips you may still be feeling blue, and that's okay! There is also nothing wrong with seeking help from a professional or boosting up your Rx mgs for the season. You know your body, mind, and soul better than anyone else so treat it well, especially when it’s hard.