Here in the United States, we’ve officially hit the time of the year that marks so many people’s start with seasonal mood changes, including seasonal depression or even SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Having less light during the day is absolutely worth having feelings about; it’s so human of you.
Every year, it seems like the same few suggestions tend to show up on social media: get a sunlight lamp, cozy up your living space, and get sunlight on your skin in the morning. Those suggestions are useful and important. However, they tend to miss something important: with so much of the day in darkness, it can be hard for many people to find the motivation to do anything besides the bare minimum. Or they don’t discuss what to do on the days where people are feeling irritable, unkind, impulsive, or lethargic.
Below are seven suggestions that playfully engage with the challenges that daylight savings time ending might bring up for people:
Go on a goblin walk
Mental health walks are sweet and all, but this walk is impulsive, for your self-preservation, in spite of The Darknes, and short. Bonus points if you have some cunningly humorous attire to wear.
Make a Burn Book for The Darkness
Each day, write or create your pettiest, hatefulist, silliest reasons you’re having feelings about the shifting hours of darkness. This is works for people situations too; this is a safe spot to express without relational consequences.
Go potion supply hunting
Most effective potion for this time of year is probably soup, but can be any comforting cozy meal you like to make at this time of year. Remember, you’re on the hunt for seasonal specialities so the ingredients might be in more than one location.
Make an alter to Spring and Summer
That favorite piece of clothing, your playlist, display photos, snacks, drinks, trinkets of summer memories, postcards, etc. Sit there when needed.
Rot on the road
You can doomscroll outside in the park, or at your local coffee shop. You can read at your public library or watch your favorite tv show. Whatever you consider rotting, you can take it to your balcony, backyard, porch, community room or in the hot tub at your apartment complex, to the gym while you walk on the treadmill, etc. It doesn’t have to only take place on your couch or bed or floor.
Leaderboard your habits with your community
Who can drink the most water bottles in a day? Rank em. Send Wordle scores again. Who made the prettiest color tea today? Who went on the most walks this week? Photos to prove.
This is a competition people.
Exercise in bed
Most exercises that take place on a yoga mat or on the floor, you can do from bed. You can crunch, leg lift, clam shell, and so much more from your bed. Whether you want to wake up that way or have a little movement before bed, you don’t have to get yourself all the way to a gym.
Go forth and be slightly unhinged in your survival of daylight savings time ending,
Dr. S