Seasons to be cheerful

We have just passed through the autumnal equinox, 22 September at 1.43PM (UK time) to be exact. For many people, particularly in northern regions, autumn and winter can be very difficult to cope with. I am one of those people. The sunless days are short and starless nights are long. The cold and damp cut to your marrow. Nature seems to enter a deep sleep and sometimes I wish I could join her.

Most of us feel the ‘winter blues’ at some point but Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can literally paralyse you. Low mood, fatigue, struggling to get up, nausea. Physical aches pervade your body and sap your soul. There are suggestions by some that it may be linked to ADHD and this kind of makes sense, particularly when you feel so imprisoned, frustrated, agitated, helpless. So, what can you do?

Lighten-up. These days there are many treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder, including ‘light therapy’. I’m not sure about the science of this but it is for good reason that winter festivals and religious symbols are all about banishing darkness at this time of year. Many well-intentioned people in the UK campaign to keep Christmas in December. I am not one of them. In our house Christmas lights are put up as early as possible and last year they stayed up till March. Light up this winter.

Rest. Nature needs to recover and so do you. So heed the call, slow down and recharge. This is not doing nothing, it is getting ready to go again. Enjoy the downtime and don't feel guilty about it.

Make time for a quickie. Though nature sleeps she still has much to offer, even if only fleetingly. Uncrowded beaches with untamed seas, peaceful parks with frosted grass, windswept hills with barren forests. She remains beautiful when dimly lit, stripped bare and without make-up, so make a date with naked nature - just keep it quick and wear protection.

Dream. Spring is coming and that's a promise, so set new goals for the new year and enjoy the anticipation of new experiences. Germans have a word for this: vorfreude. It comes from the words vor (before) and freude (joy) and refers to the joy you experience while you are looking forward to something. Vorfreude ist die schönste freude! Anticipation is the greatest joy so, SAD people, let’s dream of spring and make this autumn and winter the most cheerful of seasons!