If your not looking forward to the shorter days and more darkness that winter brings, our Registered Psychologist (Provisional) Murray Heintz has some helpful information to get you through the dark days of winter.
Preparing For Winter
The colder weather, snow and ice, and reduced daylight hours have the potential to impact our mental health. However, just like we winterize our cars, winterizing our mental health is a much-needed proactive step to navigate through another winter on the prairies to reduce or avoid loneliness and depressive symptoms that are quick and easy.
Simple steps we can take include:
Prioritize your social activities
Staying connected prevents social isolation that can adversely impact your mental health. When the weather makes in-person meetings difficult, make a note to FaceTime with friends and family. Put a reminder in your calendar to connect with someone, be it in person or online.
Practice wellness
Meditation, relaxation, and physical exercise are the extra steps beyond just “surviving” the day. Designating time in the day to unwind provides the opportunity to perform a self-check-in. Staying in touch with your emotional needs, as well as your physical needs, is important. A healthy emotional state can help you confront the winter season head-on.
Stick to a schedule
Create a schedule: Eat at regular intervals, stay hydrated, and have predictable sleep routines. The less sleep you get, the more difficult it is to perform your daily activities, leading to increased stress, less time to sleep, and other negative impacts.
Prioritize light
If you’re feeling the full force of the winter blues, take in sunlight wherever you can. Lift up the blinds and bask in the grey-light of winter.
Light boxes
A light therapy box or lamp is designed to mimic outdoor light, which researchers believe causes a chemical change in the brain to ease symptoms of sadness and low energy. Be it legitimate science or the placebo effect, light boxes are popular tools to stave off the winter blues, and the presence of extra light may lift your mood.
Thanks, Murray! I love this!
Murray works with adults. He’d love to work with you.
Murray does excellent work with:
– Anxiety (Generalized & Social Anxiety)
– Panic Attacks & Disorders
– Depression (Major Depressive Disorder current/past/recurrent and Persistent Depressive Disorder)
– PTSD
– Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
– ADHS
– Autism
– Substance Use Disorder
– Stress / Coping Skills
– Mental Health Issues
– Manic disorders including Bi-Polar Disorder 1 and 2;
– Psychotic Disorders – Schizophrenia
– Grief & Loss
– Anger Management
– Emotional Regulation
– Managing Change
– Behavior Management
– Self-esteem
– Self-confidence
– Communication
– Problem solving
– Crisis Management
– as well as many other issues
Murray works with adults offering individual sessions Monday – Friday.
Book your appointment with MURRAY here.
Cheers to getting through winter (how many days are there until spring?) 🙂
Penney