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Why Change of Seasons Might Affect Your Mental Health

Sometimes it can seem like it’s mandatory to like fall. Everyone is busy with talk of pumpkin spice lattes, sweater weather, and rain boots. If seasonal changes are difficult for you, you might feel alone. The truth is that for many people, the transition to fall is tough and the transition to winter is even tougher. Understanding why seasonal changes can be difficult can help you devise strategies to make this season a better season.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Every year, about five percent of Americans experience a condition called seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is seasonal depression. Though doctors think it might be related to changes in light levels outside, some people develop SAD during the summer months so its cause remains poorly understood. SAD gets better when the season changes but it can cause depression ranging from mild to debilitating, for months at a time.

The good news is that SAD is highly treatable, often with light therapy, outdoor activity, and sometimes with medication. If you find your mood shifting every year or if you’ve noticed that this fall you just can’t get into the season, then seasonal affective disorder could be the culprit.

Pressure to Keep Up

For almost everyone, the transition to fall initiates a cascade of holidays: Rosh Hashanah, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more. Holidays are fun, but they’re also work. The pressure to appear to be having fun while working to keep up with the neighbors, your family, and your friends can be overwhelming. There are decorations to buy, meals to make, presents to purchase, and endless events to attend. Skip out on anything, and you might feel guilty and like you’re not making the season sufficiently magical. But do it all and fade into exhaustion and emotional turmoil. It can feel like a no-win game.

 

Managing Stress as the Season Changes

Stress is not an inevitability of seasonal changes. It’s a product of the way many of us choose to live. This means it’s changeable. For people overwhelmed by seasonal affective disorder, painful stress, or family conflict, therapy can be a powerful ally. Medication may also help, particularly when minor stress turns into major depression. Some other strategies that can help you make it through:

  • Making a list of priorities for the season. Don’t give into pressure. Do the things you really enjoy and forget about the rest.
  • Getting access to plenty of natural light by spending some time outside or sitting under a sun lamp.
  • Maintaining a regular schedule, even when cold temperatures tempt you to sleep in.
  • Starting your own family traditions, particularly if you have a conflict with your family of origin.
  • Taking care of your body. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, at least five days per week. Eat plenty of healthy foods and get enough sleep.

Even if every seasonal change in years past has been difficult for you, this one can be better. Take time to protect your mental health and watch the transition to autumn and winter become your favorite time of year.

Cosmo Insurance Agency is an independent insurance agency serving surrounding communities in New Jersey. Cosmo keeps its promise to assure an efficient and creative approach to the services we offer. Each of our clients experience a personalized and long-term relationship with us. Our New Jersey based team of health brokers guides our clients in helping them choose the most cost-effective options. By incorporating the latest in technology-based tools and laws on healthcare, employee benefits, life insurance and finance, we keep our clients up-to-date with the plans that encompass all of their needs, whether it is individual or group insurance. 

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2024