The winter blues strike again

I’ve been feeling a little low lately, event after a board game cruise holiday to New Caledonia didn’t fix my low energy (by the way the holiday was lots of fun, here are all the boardgames we took):

So I went to my GP to get a blood test. Turns out I’m vitamin D deficient and borderline low in iron. That would explain some of the low mood.

Some people get SAD

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression linked to seasonal changes. I find I tend to get bluer around Winter/Spring time and I think it’s connected to not enough sun light.

My Symptoms

  • Low energy
  • lethargic in the morning
  • Problems getting to sleep some nights
  • Struggling to get up and going
  • Easy to tear up
  • Sense of worthlessness
  • Difficulty concentrating on work tasks
  • Lack of motivation
  • I become a master procrastinator

Try to be easy on yourself

While I’m recovering from this bout of winter blues, I’ve put most of my extra goals on hold. I’m not bothered with my weight-loss goals, my book writing or app building. I’m giving myself time to recover. I’m trying to meditate in the sun in the mornings but that’s slow going. I’m open with my team at work for taking mental health days when I just don’t have the capacity for work. You can also use spoon theory to talk about your capacity.

If you are feeling something similar, try to set yourself small achievable goals and talk to someone about it. Reach out, you aren’t alone. Have you experienced SAD lately? What is part of your self care therapy?

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