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SADtoSunny

I hope you had a great 4th of July with friends an

I hope you had a great 4th of July with friends and family!

The holiday celebrations looked very different this year; we did sparklers and fireworks at home, and I felt thankful to be able to celebrate with my family and summer health.

#seasonalaffectivedisorder #seasonaldepression #fightseasonaldepression #fightsad #summerhealth #fourthofjuly #sadtosunny

#blackouttuesday

#blackouttuesday

We’ve have had SO.MUCH.RAIN lately here in Michi

We’ve have had SO.MUCH.RAIN lately here in Michigan. Again today.
It helps to add some color inside! Flowers in a vase, artwork, paint on walls - there are so many ways to brighten up the inside of a house when it’s snowy or raining and you can’t get outside (though I’d also argue it’s never “too wet” to get out!).
My kids did this melted crayon art on a recent rainy day and we put it up temporarily - I’ve noticed it makes me happy every time I walk by and see the bright colors against the rainy backdrop. Bonus: it was also a fun project that kept the kids busy and helped the time inside go by!
#seasonaldepression #seasonalaffectivedisorder #fightseasonaldepression #fightsad #winterblues #rainyday #sadtosunny #addcolortoyourlife #addcolor #crayonart

It’s been a rainy week here in Michigan. Just as

It’s been a rainy week here in Michigan. Just as I’m affected by cold temps and grey, a rainy day can lay me out too. My theory is that it has something to do with the barometric pressure and how my body reacts to that. It’s interesting how barometric pressure might relate to SAD.

I started to research this when we were living in Florida and my SAD symptoms were completely gone for an entire year...Except for one day. It was the day Hurricane Michael hit landfall just north of us. This picture of my daughter was taken that morning - the storm center wasn’t hitting our exact area, but gray skies and winds were an effect of the strong storm nearby. When we got home, I had to lay down because every part of my body was hurting (like when your body is fighting the flu) and I was too weak get out of bed for the rest of the day. It was such a stark contrast to how I had been feeling the rest of the time in FL, and it brought me right back to how I feel in the winter. 🌬
Sure enough, I found that barometric pressure, which is lower in cold temps and also during a storm front, can affect the body in several ways. First of all, it can increase blood pressure. Mayo Clinic explains, “In addition to cold weather, blood pressure may also be affected by a sudden change in weather patterns, such as a weather front or a storm. Your body — and blood vessels — may react to abrupt changes in humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloud cover or wind in much the same way it reacts to cold.” Low air pressure can also cause inflammation, which is why some people have more joint pain or headaches when rain is coming. WebMD explains, “Changes in barometric pressure may make your tendons, muscles, and any scar tissue expand and contract, and that can create pain in joints affected by arthritis.” I love the beauty of rain just like I love the beauty of snow, but it can make functioning through a day difficult. But at least I’m starting to understand the reason and that it might be just a part of SAD.

#seasonaldepression #fightseasonaldepression #winterblues #seasonalaffectivedisorder #fightsad #rainyday #sadtosunny #barometricpressure #inflammation #stormfront

It’s hard to see the world that we so often feel

It’s hard to see the world that we so often feel is our foundation start to slip from beneath us. It’s disorienting, scary, and can feel overwhelming at times. But there are things to do to steady ourselves in the midst of it all.
Mental Health Tip: Practice Mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness just means that you focus on what you’re sensing and feeling right in front of you (instead of the “what ifs”), and it can instantly reduce stress.
This week I had a day of anxiety that struck unexpectedly, and even though I wasn’t sure where exactly it came from, I knew how to help calm it down.
Mindful Observation is something that helps me in a moment where anxiety chemicals are hijacking my rational mind.
Mindful Observation helps you notice and appreciate simple things in the environment, and connects us with the beauty of the natural environment that is easily missed in our typical busy day-to-day.
Want to try it? Choose a natural object in your immediate environment and focus on watching it for a minute or two. This could be a flower, tree, birds, clouds...
Try to just watch the object and think about what you’re seeing. I like to think about looking at this object as if I was a kid, seeing it for the first time.
When I visually explore something like this, I calm down. It also helps me remember the beauty in this world and the Creator who made it all and who holds the entire world in His hands, aware of every little detail, even to the smallest spiral of a pinecone.

For more mental health tips, see link in bio.
#seasonaldepression #seasonalaffectivedisorder #fightseasonaldepression #fightseasonalaffectivedisorder #fightsad #sadtosunny #anxiety #mindfulness #mindfulmeditation #mindfulobservation #pinecones #naturetherapy

Physical Health Tip: Avoid Excessive Alcohol Alco

Physical Health Tip: Avoid Excessive Alcohol

Alcohol can often increase depression and anxiety. Yes, it can make you feel better for the evening, but even just one glass can make the entire next day – or even next few days – worse. Alcohol is a depressant, which is such an irony that we often go to it to help us feel better! It can become a vicious cycle. My research tells me one-third of people with major depression also have an alcohol problem.

So. Does this mean I can’t drink at all?! That’s tricky. For me, I’ve been wrestling with the question for years. As a teen, I drank heavily. And there is alcoholism in my extended family.
I often do periods of fasting from alcohol - sometimes for health, sometimes for prayer, and sometimes simply to think through my motivations...but so far I have always landed on moderation. In the winters, when I have depression, I have to be stricter, because I don’t want alcohol to be the thing I go to for help. Plus my chemical make up is different and I notice it makes me feel MORE awful.

But I also want to take part in the social aspect and tastiness of a delicious glass of wine or (since I live in Michigan!) craft beer. So right now, I set limits on myself knowing the dangers that can come from mixing up alcohol and depression.
I’m not struggling with seasonal depression this second, but I know the situation of the world right now is adding extra stressors. I am limiting myself to a glass on wine on Friday nights (when we zoom with a group of friends) to keep some normalcy and occasionally one more mid-week if we do a date night in. Other than that, my favorite go-to lately is sparkling water with a splash of apple juice. It feels like a fancy little treat and it’s helpful to replace a drink with something else.
What about you? What is your strategy for navigating alcohol - abstinence, social drinking, or using it as some mental relief? I’d love to hear what others think about it, especially in this extra stressful time!
#seasonaldepression #fightseasonaldepression #seasonalaffectivedisorder #fightseasonalaffectivedisorder #winterblues #fightsad #alcohol #mocktails #alcoholinmoderation

Physical Health Tip: Eating Well!
Another one we’ve heard a million times and know is true, but how many of us know it experientially rather than just intellectually?
More veggies, more protein, more healthy fats. I have known for years this was the right way to eat, but simple carbs is still my default. (My dad used to call me Greta Carbo because as a kid I would always have some type of carb in hand!) Seasonal Depression forced me into healthier eating, as I started to chart my food intake and realized the “bad days” were heavily correlated with unhealthy eating. I also discovered a lot of of us with SAD have a different chemical make-up that finds carbohydrates especially soothing and actually does make us feel better (short-term) in the winter.
It wasn’t until I tried taking out all simple carbs for a full month that I really started to experience the true benefits of healthy eating vs just the idea of it.
Now is an especially trying time to eat well - especially when we want to stress eat. Or when things are so chaotic with work and schooling that we don’t have a second to think about or prep our own food. Or when we are CONSTANTLY cooking and snack-prepping for the fam so there’s always some sort of food in front of us.

BUT. Because of all the extra challenges right now, I’m trying to put a specific plan in place to be more thoughtful about my food decisions. The last month I’ve been trying (and I emphasize TRYING...I’m NOT always successful!) the same clean eating that helps me in the winters, and I’m also adding in a timed nutrition element that’s helping me a lot too!
What you put into your body directly affects how you feel. Both in the moment, but more so, long-term. Eventually I’d love to write more on this, but maybe once my kids go back to school 😂 For now, I have a few more healthy eating tips (and how to involve your kids!) at the link in bio.
#seasonaldepression #fightseasonaldepression #depression #fightdepression #seasonalaffectivedisorder #fightseasonalaffectivedisorder #winterblues #healthyeating #letfoodbethymedicine #whole30 #21dayfix #80dayobsession #cleaneating #timednutrition

Getting outside everyday includes those rainy days

Getting outside everyday includes those rainy days!
An umbrella, rain boots, and a waterproof coat (or outfit, if you want to last longer) are all you need to get out there in the saturated beauty of grass and growing trees, to breathe in the fresh air, and to have the streets to yourself when out for a walk.
I can almost always physically feel in my body when rain is coming in. It’s physically hindering some days, but I do see a beauty in it now that I never used to. It helps when I head outside to try to embrace it instead of holing up and hiding from it.
My kids’ never-ending energy gives me good reason to head out rain or shine too!
#seasonaldepression #fightseasonaldepression #winterblues #fightsad #sadtosunny #lifeoutdoors #getoutside #theresnosuchthingasbadweather #letitrain #rainyday

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