E79 The Weather And Your Mood

0:00Nature can really affect our mood. Hi, I'm Scarlett Classic and welcome to Classic Advice, a mental health podcast that is guidance for resilient souls and can calm amid the chaos. Being aware of nature, the weather, the months of the year, all of that can really have an impact on our mental health, whether we are aware of it or not. So being aware of it can really help us in pushing through those hard times when the weather or nature is affecting our state of mind. I live in Alberta, Canada, so our winters get quite dark and there's not a lot of daylight.

1:00And every February or so, which isn't even the darkest time of the year, the darkest time of the year is normally in December 20th, 21st. And it doesn't seem to hit me until a couple months later in February where it's still, the days are still short. And we're in the thick of winter, February. This year has been abnormally warm, but it normally is quite cold and so all of that plays apart in our mental state, in our mental well-being. This year I'm doing a lot better and getting outside, even when it is a little cooler. I'm still going for walks and, you know, hanging out with my dog spending some time in the sunshine because I am very aware that it affects my state of mind. And not just for short days, it can be also like if it can also be, if you're in a part

2:02of the world where you get that rainy season and you don't see the sun a whole lot during those months and it's overcast and gloomy outside. It makes you feel overcast and gloomy on the inside. And I understand there's not a whole lot we can do about the weather to change the way that the weather is. And if we're not aware of this seasonal depression being a very real thing, it can bring us down and we're like, we don't even really realize why we're in a crummy mood or why we're in a bad mood because maybe we have no reason to be in a sad or crummy mood, but we feel that way anyways. So when is the last time that you paid attention to what the weather was doing outside when you were in that frame of mind and is there a parallel to them?

3:08What can we do for ourselves when we live in those parts of the world where we have those rainy seasons or those short days of seeing the sun? I don't have one of these, but I know that you can get these lights that are the mimics sort of the sun in its rays to help with depression. I never did try those. I had a couple of people that I know personally though that did try them and they really liked them. So that's a thought. You could invest in one of those UV sunshine lamps, I think is what they're called. I make a very intentional, I try to be very, very intentional on what I do with my time in those months and really leading into my self-care more so than I maybe would in the summer because I know that come February, it's typically a harder month for me.

4:12And this year has probably been my best year yet in not falling into that seasonal depression. That being said, I have spent more time outside than I probably would normally do in the month of February, which really helps. My job, I'm sitting in a cab, so even though I'm inside, I am seeing the sun and seeing the sun sets and the sun rises and stuff which helps. So maybe being close to a window that you can see outside and see this guy and see the sun when it does peak out. Now if you're in a part of the world where you have reading seasons and the sun doesn't even come out, then you might need to get a little bit creative and really leaning into the self-care and doing things that you really enjoy. It could be anything, you know, knitting, reading or whatever it is, is your thing working on a puzzle or watching your favorite movie on those days when you're feeling particularly

5:15clump and you're like E or with that cloud hanging over your head. So just a thought, just something to keep in mind and be very intentional when you're in that kind of weird mood. Take a look outside and see what the sun is doing. If it's hiding on you or not, and if it is, then you know, you can take that into account to be like, well maybe that's why, well maybe I'll make the best of it and watch my favorite movie and eat some popcorn. But thank you for tuning in to Classic Advice, Guidance for Resilient Souls. May you stay anchored in what steadies you rise resilient through what challenges you and carry calm into whatever comes next. Thanks for listening, take care, love you, bye.