Dear Mary Ellen: This is such a hard time of year for me. I think I should be happy and upbeat because the weather is getting warmer, the days are longer, and summer is just around the corner. But instead I am having trouble sleeping and getting up in the morning. After I do drag myself out of bed all I want to do is set around and eat sweets. I don't have any interest in anything. My energy level is zero. I have a super case of the blahs. How come? What can I do about it? -Feeling Awful
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Dear Feeling Awful: With spring just around the corner and the days getting longer it would seem to make sense that our energy would increase and we would feel great. The opposite is true for many people, and instead, those of us who experience this late winter–early spring depression can see only mud, potholes, and dirty snow.
Thankfully, there are lots of things you can do to help yourself feel better. And they are simple and safe. But before I start giving you some ideas, I need to warn you that these things, at first, take some effort on your part. You won't feel like doing any of them. But you need to do at least some of them anyway. After a while, as you start feeling better, it will get easier and easier.
1. Get outside for at least a half hour every day, even if you don't feel like it. If you can stay out longer, do it. Even on cloudy or rainy days.
2. Walk, run, dance, swim, lift your arms over your head - do anything that you can that gets your body moving.
3. Do something that you have been putting off. For instance, I have a pile of papers on my desk that have been there for months that need to be sorted and filed. I would feel so much better if I just did it. For you, maybe it's a closet that needs cleaning or a letter you have been meaning to write.
4. Talk to a good listener, someone who is willing to let you go on and on about “how awful you feel.” And then listen to that other person for about the same length of time. Half and hour for each of you really helps. I did that today and I feel so much better now. Misery loves company.
5. Before you start reaching for the sweets, make sure you are getting your five to seven servings of fruit and vegetables each day. Reach for an apple instead of a donut or a cookie. Fill yourself up on a big salad. Make a soup with lots of nourishing root vegetables like carrots and potatoes. Hopefully, once you have your fill of healthy foods, you won't have any room left for junk food.
6. Do something fun. You can do lots of fun things if you have the time. You can spend all day doing fun things if you don't have any other responsibilities. Take a mental health day and just do fun things. Even people who don't work or who work for themselves can take mental health days. Think about what it is you really like to do when you feel good. Then do it.
You may have a hard time thinking of things to do. I keep a list of these things in a notebook for easy access when I can't think of fun things. For instance, I enjoy watching certain movies over and over; this is a good time to watch them again. And there are a few television shows that make me laugh. Calling certain people on the phone can help. Fishing is great for some people.
Do something creative: string beads, draw a picture, do a puzzle. Listen to music or make music. Read a good book. Write something. This list could go on and on.
7. Wear something that you really like, something that feels good on you. It might be an old sweat suit, a cozy sweater, or a comfortable skirt.
8. Every day, do the things you need to do even if you don't feel like doing them. For instance, drink eight glasses of water and eat three healthy meals. Get eight hours of sleep - not more or less. Get up at the same time every morning.
Do anything else you can think of that can become part of your daily wellness routine. I need to take a shower every day to get my day started. I also need to take at least a few minutes for quiet time or meditation. You know what these things are for you.
For more ideas, go to my website at mentalhealthrecovery.com/sample_exercises.php.
You have within and around you all the resources you need to feel better. The biggest challenge is to use them. Good luck. -Mary Ellen