A winter snowstorm struck the East Coast, leaving hundreds of thousands without power, including myself. After facing difficult feelings of loneliness and boredom, I pulled together tips for what to do for your mental health when the power goes out. First, stop fixating on when the power will come back…
Chronobiologists study how bodies can fall out of sync with the natural world’s circadian rhythms, a phenomenon called chronodisruption. Modern humans experience chronodisruption on a massive scale, thanks to artificial light pollution, social jet lag, late-night electronics, and other factors. This misalignment of natural cues can have adverse consequences for…
Socializing plays a huge role in our health and wellbeing—unfortunately, many of us fail to fulfill our social needs in the cold days of winter. Why is socializing so important? Because it brings us pleasure, helps us stay active (which is also important to overall health and wellbeing), and fights…
Many of us struggle to find the motivation to work out, especially in the winter; however, it is possible to implement an effective plan for working out during this cold season. First, you should build your exercise plan into your schedule—instead of loosely saying you’ll exercise today, block out a…
While some of us simply despise the cold weather characteristic of winter, others actually suffer significantly from a form of depression called seasonal affective disorder or SAD. This particular type of depression is thought to be caused by a lack of sunlight; symptoms include feelings of despair, difficulty sleeping, and…
The third Monday in January has been named the most depressing day of the year (also known as Blue Monday); this has to do with post-holiday slump, cold weather, debt, and lack of motivation. Fortunately, you can protect yourself on Blue Monday, by first coming up with a safety plan…
In the fall and winter, we’re especially vulnerable to a form of depression called seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or winter depression, which is related to shorter days and a lack of sunlight. Fortunately, there are several effective treatments for SAD including light therapy, antidepressants, talk therapy, and self-care. With light…
Often, we feel less happy and less motivated during the winter months; we feel more irritable, fatigued, sad, and frustrated, instead. These feelings can make it incredibly hard to find happiness and accomplish those New Year’s resolutions; fortunately, though, if we tweak our day to day habits this winter we…
Many of us struggle during the winter months with stress and anxiety, which stems greatly from deviation in routine. Fortunately, if we take a few extra steps to take care our mental health and wellbeing, we can get back to a happy place. You should start by making self-care a…
We are just about halfway through December, which means winter is in full effect! Some delight in this snowy season, while others spend these cold months counting down the days until the warmth returns. Either way, it’s smart to protect yourself from the potentially harmful effects winter can have on…