As the evenings draw in and the temperature drops, many people may find themselves struggling to cope during the winter season.
In this guide, we’re going to be explaining some ways in which you can take care of your mental health in the darker months and how to prevent relapsing.
Why Does My Mental Health Worsen During Winter?
Around 2 million people in the UK suffer with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression triggered by the change in seasons and most commonly during winter months.
However, it isn’t uncommon for those without the disorder to see a dip in their mental health too, experiencing feelings of lethargy and reduced motivation.
The cause of these feelings is often due to reduced exposure to sunlight, which can disrupt your body’s internal clock and serotonin levels.
How to Look After Your Mental Health in Winter
Stay Hydrated
It’s easy to forget to drink water during the colder months when you’re naturally less thirsty, however, it is absolutely essential to keep hydrated all year round in order to keep your body and mind healthy.
This is because dehydration can have a significant negative impact on the brain, causing it to slow down and no longer function properly, which can result in headaches, tiredness, confusion and depression.
Get Plenty of Sleep
There’s a close relationship between sleep and mental health. One of the best ways to help repair and restore your brain is to get plenty of sleep.
A lack of sleep can often exacerbate symptoms of mental health conditions such as SAD, depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder, so getting between 7 to 9 hours each night is key to maintaining your mental health during winter.
Maintain a Balanced Diet
Whilst the connection between our diet and mental health is complex, research has found strong links between the things we eat and how we feel. This is because of the way your brain and gastrointestinal tract (often called the ‘second brain) interact with each other.
Eating healthier food and maintaining a good diet promotes the growth of ‘good’ bacteria in the gut, which in turn positively influences the production of neurotransmitters which help to combat stress.
On the other hand, a diet that is filled with processed unhealthy foods can cause inflammation of the gut which negatively impacts the production of neurotransmitters and in turn lowers your mood.
Sugar is a common culprit of this type of inflammation and feeds the bad bacteria living in your GI tract. This causes a temporary spike in feel good transmitters such as dopamine, however, a sugar rush is fleeting and is often followed shortly by a crash, causing you to feel down and stressed.
Stay Social
As tempting as it may be to avoid plans and stay hibernated at home all winter, it’s important to make the effort to socialise and see loved ones.
Keeping connected and spending quality time with friends can lighten your mood and make you feel happier, as well as providing an opportunity to confide in someone about how you’re feeling.
Take Your Vitamins
One of the biggest causes for the winter blues is a lack of vitamin D from less sun exposure. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a whole host of problems, such as depression-like symptoms, negative emotion, less energy and a reduced quality of life.
In order to maintain your levels, you can take Vitamin D supplements or a multivitamin each day.
Have Plans to Look Forward To
For many people, winter is a time for celebrations and festivities, however, once those celebrations come to an end, or those who don’t celebrate at all, they can be left feeling deflated without much to look forward to.
This is why you should aim to plan something exciting that you can look forward to, such as a short trip away or a nice meal out.
How to Prevent a Relapse During the Winter Months
If you are recovering from an addiction, you may be worried that when the dark days come and your mental health worsens, you risk relapsing.
Additionally, the festive period can often be filled with triggers such as alcohol, family disagreements and financial pressure. So with all of these factors, how can you prevent a relapse?
Know Your Triggers
It can help to know your triggers so you can plan ahead and have effective measures in place to help you avoid a relapse.
Common triggers include:
- Stress and anxiety
- Complacency
- Depression
- Loneliness
- Exhaustion
- Excuses and Enabling
- Family Conflict
- Finances
- Relationships
- Self-Pity
- Guilt and Shame
Remember The Skills You Learnt in Rehab
If you start to notice any of these triggers becoming worse, fill your mind with recovery related material such as effective coping methods and CBT strategies that you learnt in rehab.
This is also the time to remember why you put an end to your addiction and the way in which it negatively impacted your life before you stopped.
Set Boundaries
If you’re worried that you might be tempted to drink or take drugs during the festive period, it may be worth avoiding events such as office parties if you know there will be lots of alcohol involved and no one there to help you manage your urges.
Be Kind to Yourself
Avoid being too hard on yourself if you experience cravings or feelings of negativity. Remember how far you have come and be proud of that.
Talk to Someone
It can be tough to reach out when you’re down, but it might help to share how you’re feeling. If you don’t feel you can talk to the people around you or you need additional support, you could contact a helpline such as:
Samaritans – open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to listen to anything that’s upsetting you. You can call 116 123 (free from any phone), email [email protected] or visit some branches in person.
Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) – support for anyone who wants to talk. You can call them on 0800 58 58 58 (5pm–midnight every day) or use their webchat service.
Get the Right Kind of Support with Your Addiction
If you’re really struggling to resist the urges to drink or you feel you may be at risk of a relapse, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your recovery practitioner at Acquiesce.
