I usually enjoy EXERCISING in the to start off my day, but I detest starting my day in the cold, dark morning. Alaska is a state where I could never call home because it’s distance from the equator.
It’s winter, which means the days are short and the nights are long. I haven’t been diagnosed with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but this time of the year is quite a struggle for me. It affects more women than men.
As the sun sets down and is late to come up in the morning, I have had the tendency to oversleep in the mornings and increased sensitivity to the cold. I’ve learned that the best treatment for SAD is EXERCISE! One thing so have put at the bottom of my list of priorities.
I’ve known for years that EXERCISE is beneficial for anyone who is suffering from depression or mental health issues. EXERCISE releases endorphins, which are hormones that reduce pain and increase feelings of well-being. In addition, EXERCISE increases your metabolism, which helps improve your energy levels. Plus, the fatigue from well-used muscles is a healthier type of fatigue than that of depression. EXERCISE has the outcome to increase your self-confidence, improve your sleep and reduce anxiety.
Since I have bad knees, my go to EXERCISE is getting on my elliptical, simple strength training with free weights, and yoga. For treating SAD it’s not necessary to hit the pavement and start training for a marathon, simply engaging in low impact EXERCISE can help. Many days I have been counting the steps I take at work as my EXERCISE for the day to help beat the winter blues.
For me waking up early in the morning is the best time to EXERCISE with no interruptions. It’s just that the darn sun is not coming up soon enough to brighten my way through the house. I know EXERCISE is the ticket to feeling better, but I let the cold get the best of me.
First, decided to recommit myself to EXERCISING in the morning, which I do over and over again and that’s okay. I also have to get past my thought distortion that I have to plunge into exercise with an all or nothing perspective. Deciding is sometimes the hardest part of it all.
Second, I needed to battle the lack of light in the morning. I purchased a floor lamp and placed about 6 feet away from my side of the bed. I read that if you set a timer for the lamp to turn on at the same time each day helps keep you on a consistent schedule and helps maintain your sleep hygiene despite the lack of morning light.
Third, I decided to forgo the typical workout clothes usually consisting of a t-shirt, cropped yoga pants and ankle socks. I’m going to plan my apparel by laying out long yoga pants, layers of shirts, a thick sweatshirt and tube socks. If I get hot during my workout, I’ll just strip a layer off as needed as I go.
I need to do these things because there are still many days left and I can’t afford to skip more of my morning EXERCISE. For the sake of my mental health this is a must!