​Don’t be SAD or Depressed This Holiday Season

It's that time of year. Halloween has just passed, the once abundant supply of Snickers bars, lollipops and Tootsie Rolls now nothing more than empty wrappers and the eclectic mixture of smells in a pillowcase. Now we have Thanksgiving, Christmas and a season's worth of birthdays to contend with as we try to navigate our way to a healthier body. However, lurking under all of these obvious triggers is a silent assassin looking to take us out without us ever without our knowing it and it's called SAD. SAD is an acronym meaning “Seasonal Affective Disorder" or “Seasonal Anxiety Disorder." No matter what you call it there is a good chance that it is affecting you, in a negative way, and unsuspected.

SAD can potentially affect each and every one of us, but studies have shown that it is more likely to affect women and is more devastating to women than men. Regardless of your gender, SAD can sabotage your efforts to live a healthy lifestyle throughout the holiday season and winter time in general.

Without getting too scientific on you I'll break it down as simply as I can in an effort to 1) make you aware of its signs, and 2) give you some simple methods and techniques you can use to overcome this sneaky disorder that wreaks havoc on so many during what for many is the most joyful time of the year.

According to The Mayo Clinic, some of the tell-tail signs of SAD are:

   •   Irritability

   •   Tiredness or low energy

   •   Problems getting along with other people

   •   Hypersensitivity to rejection

   •   Heavy, "leaden" feeling in the arms or legs

   •   Oversleeping

   •   Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates

   •   Weight gain

I like to consider myself a pretty positive and motivated guy, but the other day when it was 5:17 P.M. and I was already in my Family Guy PJ's, had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich devoured and ready to call it a night I realized that I too was being affected by this disorder and I needed to do something quickly and deliberately before I fell into a deeper depression and a downward spiral that could last until the daylight savings time switch in March. That is when I began to research this often overlooked aspect of mental fitness and realized very quickly that it needs to be addressed and brought to the attention of anyone trying to make advancements, whether emotional, physical, spiritual or otherwise.

Before I get into the remedy for this situation I feel it's important for you to understand, even on a very surface level, why this happens in many cases. Our body works on a 24-hour clock referred to as a “Circadian Rhythm" and when daylight savings time ends and the clocks go backward it throws this whole operating system off. Unless we “reboot" the system we will be fragmented, running slowly and not at our optimal performance standards. For example, my dog eats at 4 P.M. every day, and if she doesn't get fed, she begins to whine. Well, after we revert to daylight standard time, she starts whining at 3 P.M. not realizing that the time had changed and it wasn't feeding time on my calendar. Given the fact that dogs don't wear watches or carry smartphones, all she can go by is her “natural clock," the 24-hour Circadian Rhythm. We're no different; we have our internal natural clock that needs to be adjusted this time of the year, otherwise we suffer the consequences, With that said here are some simple things you can do so you don't end up on the couch, in your pajamas, searching true fridge for the nearest and easiest “comfort food."

Get some sun

Superman knew what he was doing when he sought the powerful rays of the sun in order to charge himself back up when he was feeling less powerful than he was used to. The sun will help with the natural hormones like serotonin and melatonin that typically slow down when you spend more time in the dark. In addition to the sun you can find lights designed for this all over the net.

Manage your stress levels

An easy way to do this is breathe. Do yourself a favor and take 5-10 deep breaths through your nose with your eyes closed. Do this anytime you feel stressed, mad or just consistently throughout the day.

Get moving

Exercise is simply movement. Do something. Dance, walk, jump up and down…just get moving

Be social

When you want to curl up and sleep, get out and socialize. Do the opposite of what you want to and keep your brain active and sharp.

Supplement

You need some good essential fatty acids, adaptogenic herbs and vitamins and minerals. Nothing fancy, just the basics.

Seek Professional Help

If it's really bad, go talk with a professional. Listen, you are not crazy if you see a counselor, you are actually very smart. Getting those stored up feelings are vital to mental health and we should all be able to vent, without gossiping, to a qualified professional in an effort to stay sane.

So, do yourself a favor this winter, find your comfort in things other than food, avoid being SAD by staring it down and dealing with it head on. You owe it to yourself to be HAPPY:

H-ealthy

A-ctive

P-roactive

P-ositive

Y-our best