Gaby
About 3 percent of adults in the UK have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the Royal College of Psychiatrists estimates. Many more people feel low at the thought of a long winter ahead.
There may be a simple fix for seasonal gloom. Try writing a heartfelt letter addressed to “Winter”.
Researchers at the University of Glasgow say a letter that begins “Dear Winter” and lays out your feelings about the season can help ease seasonal depression.
They also recommend using candles, mirrors, and other shiny objects to brighten a dimly lit home. These can be an inexpensive way to boost light compared with sunlight or light-therapy lamps.
Another suggestion is to imagine yourself sitting in a medieval sunroom with large windows and stained glass on the top floor of a castle.
If you work remotely during winter days and evenings, set up your workspace by a window. Between tasks, take breaks to walk and watch the colors of the sky, the Daily Mail reported.
Professor Hester Parr, the study’s author, said, “Instead of focusing on how gray and dark the sky can be, you can look at its colors and notice how light breaks through the clouds.”
She recommends enjoying natural light while it’s available. She also suggests attending autumn and winter light festivals and joining traditional Halloween gatherings with their pumpkin lanterns.
Scottish researchers have even created a free online course in cognitive behavioral therapy called “Living Life To The Full,” which anyone can join. One of the course’s main goals is to help people struggling with seasonal sadness.
