Cure The Winter Blues: Surefire Ways To Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder

Establish A Sleep Routine

Sleep is essential for optimal health, especially for mental health. For those dealing with SAD, it is ideal that they try and get between seven and nine hours of quality shut-eye each night, so they may spend more time awake, and hopefully enjoying the sunshine. Unfortunately, many individuals who have SAD often experience sleep difficulties at night and with getting up in the morning.

By maintaining a regular sleep schedule, a patient will be able to improve their sleeping patterns, which can help alleviate symptoms of SAD. By keeping a regular sleeping schedule, they will be able to ensure they are exposed to enough light throughout the day, ensuring this exposure stays consistent and predictable.

Aromatherapy

Using aromatherapy candles, essential oils, or bath bombs are also another alternative for decreasing a patient’s SAD symptoms. Essential oils and candles can influence the part of the brain that is responsible for controlling an individual’s moods and the body’s internal clock, which controls sleeping and eating patterns. Not to mention, certain scents are known to help relieve stress, reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, and promote a restful sleep, such as lavender, vanilla, cedarwood, lemon, jasmine, rosemary, sandalwood, bergamot, ylang-ylang, and chamomile. Trying adding a few drops of essential oils to a bath at night to promote relaxation, or burn a candle throughout the day that is infused with essential oils to promote mental stability and clarity.