EPISODE 26 | The Thing About Fall Is...

In my (Francesca) highly unpopular opinion fall is HARD.

I’m a lover of light and sunshine and longggg summer days, so even the knowledge that shorter fall days lie ahead feel daunting to me. And while many of our listeners may be EAGER for some cooler weather, I’m sure there are many of us that feel the same way I do!

So today I wanted to chat about what it feels like to experience something like this and some ways we can combat it entering into the next few months.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

I’ve never been diagnosed with this disorder but I can relate to some of the feelings of heaviness that comes with these darker seasons

So basically, SAD (are they serious with this acronym lol) is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons — SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. (LINK)

For those of you who are unfamiliar with these types of feelings, try thinking of something that you have to do that you realllyyyyy don’t want to. For instance, going to a doctor’s appointment or a dentist appointment. You know you have to go, but you’re dreading it. That’s how it feels for me about these cooler months. I know I have to go through them and there’s brighter days on the other side, but I reallyyyy just want springtime again!

Combating Seasonal Depression

I also want to preface this by saying just because I experience this daunting feeling towards the fall, doesn’t mean I hate the fall and holiday season all together! It’s actually the opposite! I love doing fall activities, I just find the days in between to be even more mundane when the sun sets around 4:00pm and the days are grey.

But knowing this is HUGE when trying to combat this disorder /seasonal depression overall. Knowing what you love about these months will help you get ahead of these feelings and hopefully, make the next few months a little easier.

**CAVEAT: If you know you experience these sad feelings in the colder months, I would urge you to be especially strategic this year. There is so much going on in the world and in our homes and in our lives that we’ve never had to deal with before. So trying to get ahead of one more hard thing will help you SO much in the long run.

Okay let’s get down to helpful tips:

1. SCHEDULE THE FUN FALL THINGS

   1. Love hiking? Can’t wait to plan a day at the orchard with your friends? Schedule that ishhh now. I’m serious. So frequently we get caught up in our day to day lives that all of a sudden it’s November and we didn’t get to do any of the fall things we love. Start a group chat with your friends and make sure you block out days to do the things you love. That’ll help your brain to look forward to those fun fall days, instead of feeling overwhelmed by your current state of mind

2. PLAN TO GO SOAK UP THE SUN

   1. Oh how I wish we could easily hop on a plane and travel right now, and if you’re up for the challenge of an airport right now, all the power to ya! But if traveling across the country ain’t your thing right now, try planning a road trip instead! See how far it would be to travel to some sunny weather!

   2. Or even, just a weekend trip to the beach! To me, the beach is so cozy in the fall and you’ll definitely find majorly discounted prices for beach towns during this season! Plan a weekend getaway, fully equipped with campfires on the beach!

3. EMBRACE THE WINTER ACTIVITIES

   1. If traveling to the sun isn’t feasible for you right now, no sweat! Plan a weekend to just embrace the winter. Whether that’s heading to a ski resort or planning a spa weekend with your girls at a lodge, book it now!

4. LIGHT THERAPY (or regular therapy for that matter)

   1. I’ve never tried this but many sources I’ve been looking at mention light therapy. This type of therapy is a way to treat seasonal affective disorder and encourages you to sit near an artificial light source ( such as a light box) that mimics natural sunlight. So often, our bodies feel more sluggish in the winter months because we’re not exposed to sunlight. Using a lightbox is a great way to combat that feeling!

   2. Also, we can’t recommend regular therapy enough on this show. I personally found my therapist through Psychology Today and was able to narrow down my search based on my insurance coverage. But some other great options are Betterhelp.com and Talkspace.com - Both of which are virtual and that's so great for our current circumstances!

5. MOVE YOUR BODY

   1. I don’t know about you but it is even harder to encourage myself to workout in the winter time. Last winter, I started taking yoga classes in a group setting and it inspired me to keep showing up! While that may not be an option right now, do some research to find an exercise routine that interests you! Moving your body will significantly help reduce the feelings of seasonal depression and increase your confidence during the process.

For more information on treatments, check out this article on Everydayhealth.com