5 Tech Tips for Beating Seasonal Depression
Have you found that you tend to feel depressed and apathetic in the winter, but not during other seasons? If so, you may have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a subtype of depression that waxes in the winter months and wanes in warmer seasons. If you’re struggling with symptoms of SAD, try these tech-forward ideas to pull yourself up and feel better sooner:
01 / Get a phototherapy lamp
One of the primary causes of SAD is the lack of daylight in winter months. You can simulate sunlight with a special lamp called a “phototherapy lamp” - many people with SAD show improvement when they use a phototherapy lamp on a daily basis. Although it's unlikely to be a silver bullet, using the lamp fits easily into your daily routine, and they’re very inexpensive overall.
02 / Your daily behaviors can help you - or harm you
If you're feeling depressed, from SAD or otherwise, one of the most important steps you can take is to ensure you're not making your depression worse through your behaviors. Our mind looks for cues and references what our body is doing to help inform feelings, so if you ACT depressed, you're more likely to FEEL depressed. Take stock of your most common behaviors when you're feeling depressed in the fall and winter: do you isolate? Stay in bed? Watch videos on your phone all day? Whatever it is, make sure to actively avoid doing those things.
By the same token, make sure you are also doing the things that tell your mind that you're feeling good, even if they don't feel natural while you're depressed. Talking with friends on the phone, playing an instrument - whatever healthy behaviors are in your life make sure you keep doing those things.
How do you notice and address these patterns? Try Moodnotes - good for thought-tracking as well, Moodnotes allows you to easily and quickly track what’s impacting your emotions every day.
03 / Watch your thoughts
Be mindful of when you slip into unhelpful thinking patterns. It's very easy to get caught in negative thought spirals when you're feeling depressed, where the line of thought only serves to bring you further down.
The first step in avoiding this is to notice when it's happening in the first place - the most effective way to do this is to practice mindfulness, and mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation is one of the most research-supported techniques you can use for depression and stress reduction: you learn to separate yourself from your thoughts and your feelings, so you don't get carried away by anything your brain just so happens to throw your way. Meditation is like going to the gym for your mind: the more you do it, the more skilled you become, so starting early has huge benefits.
How do you get started with a strong foundation? Look no further than your phone: there are great science-guided meditation apps out there that will show you the ropes - I recommend Headspace, 10% Happier, and Balance. If you’d like a quicker start, try my introduction to meditation lesson, which you can find at the bottom of my Therapy page.
The second step is to know what you're being mindful for: unhelpful thinking styles. Unhelpful thoughts are thoughts that hurt you emotionally, whether or not they're "right" or "wrong," and take regular-intensity emotions and boost them into highly disruptive or unpleasant emotions. Examples of these lines of thinking are thinking in "black and white," intentionally disregarding the importance of positive things in your life, and jumping to (negative) conclusions.
04 / Exercise!
Yes, even in the winter. Yes, even during COVID-19. Like meditation, exercise is one of the most time-tested and science-confirmed stress reducers. How can you work up a sweat while avoiding the gym? Try a fitness app and basic workout equipment (i.e., a set of adjustable dumbbells & yoga mat). My #1 recommendation for fitness apps right now is Nike Training Club - Nike recently made all their premium trainer-led content free during the pandemic. Don't have much time? Check out the fantastic, free 7-minute workout app from Johnson & Johnson.
05 / Build new habits and celebrate often
Stagnation is stressful - as humans, we're creatures that like to grow and develop. The winter can put a damper on this, and the pandemic, as well. Setting goals and achieving them feels fantastic, but sometimes it can be challenging to know where to start, and even harder to stay motivated. Fortunately, there's an app for that! Strides helps you set and track SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-specific) goals, and if you don't need as much structure, Streaks and Productive help you set goals and stay motivated.
SAD can be tough to manage, but certainly not impossible - if you haven’t tried using technology to your advantage, you may be pleasantly surprised at how much of a difference it can make! Take care, be well, and stay healthy out there.
-Dr. Weiner
More information is available on my website related to working with me for online depression counseling – in addition to my concierge therapy practice, I also have a small in-network practice with Equipoise Teletherapy in Chicago. For an additional resource on depression, check out this thorough (but accessible!) article on depression by Cleveland Clinic. For any other questions, please feel free to reach out to me directly!