Winter is coming

Oh, Oh....and that means less sunlight hours which equals the ole seasonal depression, too. I just need to make sure that I get LOTS of sunlight and fresh air. It works wonders. And for indoors I have several of those white light lamps (full spectrum lighting) to give me more natural light in my rooms.

December is a magnifying glass

Yesterday as I was getting a treatment from my acupuncturist I talked to her about the very difficult December I had (worse than I ever remember), and a lot of other people I know.

She said that yes, December is the month that the sun is at its lowest peak, there is the stress and exhaustion of the extreme busyness that we get caught up in, there is the debt and money problems that is caused by the highly commercialized Christmas, and there is more irritability cause by all of the above. She also said that there are more suicides and murders in December. More people experience depression on this month of the year than with any of the other months.

I heard somewhere lately that Christmas is like looking at your life through a magnifying glass. Everything looms larger. If you are lonely.....you feel even lonelier. If you are sad....you feel even sadder. All our problems seem to be suddenly worse...with the effect they have on us.

So what then is the solution to our NEXT December. Do we want a repeat of what we just went through....or do we find a way to change it? For me....I say simplify, simplify, simplify!!!!. And find a way to expose our self to more light, whether by sitting under full spectrum lighting or sitting in the yard on days when Mr. Sun is out. I also just sit in my car on sunny days maybe when the air was a little chilly. I make sure the sun is shinning on me through the windows.

How are YOU doing?

Well, not too many days left until Christmas. How are YOU holding up? Have you been able to keep busy enough to get your mind off of your sadness? Have you had opportunities to go out and do something for someone else?

I also hope that you live in an area where you can soak up some of Mr. Sun....or at least sit under some full-spectrum lights.

I would like to hear from you as to how you are handling this time in your life.

Different Types of Depression and Disorders

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Bi-Polar

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

.......and more


There are so many different types of depression and other mind disorders that have been diagnosed and treated. I have family members and friends that have gone to specialists about their depression and have been told that they have a certain type. Most of them are on medications for it.

I have never gone to a doctor about it...I do not take medications, nor do I want to. I have always seemed to find a way to deal with it myself. I have used prayer, concentrated effort, herbal formulas, and my self-discovered relaxation therapies that I share in this blog.

My form of depression appears to be Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Though depression can hit me at any time of the year, it mostly occurs at the beginning of Fall and ends in Spring. During this time of year my exposure to sunlight is diminished, causing my biological clock to run slower. Our biological clock regulates our mood, sleep, and hormones. The biggest cause of SAD is lack of sunlight.

I understand the common signs of this and other forms of depression to be somewhat similar: Sadness, anxiety, irritability, loss of interest in usual activities, withdrawal from social activities, inability to concentrate. Other symptoms might include extreme fatigue and lack of energy, increased need for sleep, craving carbs, and increased appetite and weight gain.

Most people have many windows in their house and so they receive some light from the outdoors. The studio size place where I live does not have windows and so I need a better source of light other than regular ceiling lighting and table lamps.

I have remedied the lack of natural light in several ways. I have purchased several full-spectrum lights. These lights are what they call white light....they mimic closely the light that comes from the sun. Some of these lights are table lamps, and some are floor lamps. I have several of them distributed around my living area, and I use these special lights along with my regular lighting.

Another way which is important in gaining extra natural light is to go outdoors and spend some time out in the sun and fresh air. Take in good deep breaths of fresh air through the nose and let it out slowly through the mouth. This clears the system and brings in fresh oxygen. The longer spent outdoors, the better.

Exercise is also important to help tone down and ease depression and stress. It clears the mind and also brings in more oxygen to the body. Going for a good walk outdoors can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Rest and Heal Your Mind and Soul

When those times come when I have dark, overwhelmingly sad days or seasons...I find comfort, relaxation, and a sort of therapy by doing certain things and activities that will take my mind off of what is bothering me and take it to a different place for a short while....so that I can heal.

Some of those places are.....watching good movies, doing my personal writings, working on my websites, calling or visiting a good friend, siting quietly and meditating on sacred things, going outdoors for a nice leisurely walk, reading the scriptures, deep breathing exercises, sitting out in the yard to get sunlight and fresh air, laying on the couch or bed with my legs elevated and with a cool cloth over my eyes and listening to some soft music, and many more things.