How Do You Combat Christmas Blues?

 

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It is February 2nd, and all my Christmas decorations are finally down and put away until next year. Feeling super productive this year because I did what I've been saying I'll do for the last three years: go through everything and reorganize it. Finally broke down and bought storage bags for the Christmas trees. This made it easier to haul them into the basement and saved us storage space as well. 

But like every year, once the trees are packed away, it looks kind of dark and gloomy around here at night. I kept one three-foot tree upstairs and a tabletop tree and decorated them for Valentine's Day. 

It can be hard when all the lights come down to go back to the regular way everything looks the rest of the year. Homes & Gardens has an article with tips to beat the Christmas blues. You can read it here. 

How do I beat the Christmas blues? I keep lights in my office all year long and play Christmas music whenever I'm in the mood. 

 

Tips to Help with the Winter Blues

 

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Does anyone else suffer from the "winter blues?" Medically known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), this condition is a type of depression one can experience during the changing of seasons and is known to begin and end about the same time every year. 

Among the symptoms Johns Hopkins Medicine states are associated with SAD are:

• Irritability and anxiety,
• Decreased ability to focus or concentrate,
• Weight gain, 
• Loss of interest and pleasure in activities formerly enjoyed. 

Some ways I've helped reduce the symptoms of SAD during the winter months are:

• Opening the blinds in my office during the day to let in more natural light
• Keeping Christmas lights around my window in the evenings or using a grow light in my office
• Increase my physical activity or exercise
• Track my eating habits to encourage a more balanced diet
• Writing in a journal
• Calling a friend

While these tips might be helpful, they are not meant to take the place of medical advice. Talk to your doctor to see what they would recommend.