Don’t let the September Blues get you down says counsellor Jamie

This time of year I can notice with some clients that they are feeling more lethargic and have less interest in doing things which for them appears to come out of nowhere.

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is thought to affect about one in 15 people in the UK between the months of September and April, according to the NHS.

For more serious sufferers, it can prevent people from functioning normally during the autumn and winter months and is thought to be caused by lack of light, as well as other factors such as colder temperatures and the return to normal routines.

With SAD, the lack of light is thought to affect the part of the brain that rules sleep and energy levels.

Even for people without the disorder, September can be a difficult time as school starts and workplaces get busier.

Added to this, the weather worsens, days get shorter, and it is a long wait until the next bank holiday over Christmas.

Many of us also are pining that the summer has gone because the summer for most people is a more relaxed period where there is much less traffic on the roads, we can leave for work that bit later and in general we feel a more relaxed kind of atmosphere around us as the rigid structured routine we normally have is not in place.

In a way people feel much more capable and resilient to be able to deal with things when the sun is shining as it has a positive impact on our moods.

When September comes around it seems to bring with it this feeling that it is a time to start to be more serious and with that comes increased levels of stress and anxiety.

Symptoms of SAD can include:

a persistent low mood

a loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities

irritability

feelings of despair, guilt and worthlessness

feeling lethargic (lacking in energy) and sleepy during the day

sleeping for longer than normal and finding it hard to get up in the morning

But there are ways to help people overcome and gain control over SAD.

Mind-body connection:

Examples of mind-body techniques that some people may choose to try to help cope with SAD include:

Relaxation techniques such as yoga or tai chi

Practicing Gratitude which we covered in our last article

Meditation

Listening to or playing music

Make your home environment sunnier and brighter. Open blinds, trim tree branches that block sunlight. Sit closer to bright windows while at home or in the office.

Get outside. Take a long walk, sit on a bench and soak up the sun. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help — especially if you spend some time outside within two hours of getting up in the morning.

Exercise regularly. Exercise and other types of physical activity help relieve stress and anxiety, both of which can increase SAD symptoms. Being more fit can make you feel better about yourself, too, which can lift your mood.

Talk about how you are feeling with family or friends.

If you feel you need extra support speak to your GP and also perhaps consider speaking to a counsellor

At E-Therapy NI I am a great believer in that there are not many things in life that cannot be helped by talking about it with people close to you who you trust.

If you would like more daily motivation please follow our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram or www.etherapyni.co.uk

If you need to talk, we are here to listen.