Although you may enjoy the changing leaves and cozy sweaters during the fall, the drop in temperature may come with downsides. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a condition in the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders as a Major Depressive Disorder with a seasonal pattern. It’s a real diagnosis that disrupts lives when summer fades away. As a mom, seasonal depression can worsen the stress you might already feel during the school year and holiday season.
Even if you feel like you’re too busy to practice self-care, there are mood-boosting activities you can fit into your hectic life. No matter your schedule, these activities will help you make the most of this fall season.
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Get Together With Friends
Depressive thoughts can start to spiral when you feel alone. Research shows isolation increases the severity of depression, so try getting together with friends often this autumn. Ask them to drive their kids over for a play date or have a girls' night out. Even video calling a friend while your kids nap will ground you in your social circle and make you feel extra loved.
Try a Dawn Simulator
Your family depends on you waking up on time, but a traditional alarm clock isn’t your only wake-up option. Dawn simulators are alarm clocks that wake people up gradually. When the set time arrives, the clock begins to emit a faint orange-yellow glow. It brightens with each passing minute until it reaches full brightness at your wake-up time.
Dawn to dusk simulators improve peoples’ moods by letting the brain gradually wake up. The light reaches your mind through your eyelids, activating your brain without noise. It’s worth trying if your alarm wakes you up with an uncomfortable jolt that leaves you in a sour mood.
Schedule Swimming Sessions
As the air gets chilly, you probably don’t find yourself wanting to go for a walk or run outside, but swimming is an effective indoor exercise to keep up your activity during colder months. Many gyms and YMCAs have indoor pools, and some have family membership discounts that can work with your budget.
Swimming is an exercise with many benefits and little strain on your body. It’s considered to be the best form of low-impact cardio, and it can help you sleep better – something all moms can appreciate. It can also be convenient if you need to bring the kids along. If you’re able to sign your kids up for swim lessons, you can do laps by yourself while they’re with the instructor.
Make an Autumn Comfort Food
Add a few comfort recipes to your schedule this fall. Eating a pumpkin cinnamon roll or a slice of apple pie will give your body more carbohydrates, which increases serotonin levels for a short period after eating. Serotonin is one of the happiness chemicals in the brain.
Just be aware that eating a high-carb diet can trigger depression, according to a 2020 study. It’s best to space out foods or snacks with high amounts of carbohydrates. Try filling the mealtimes in between with healthy autumn alternatives, such as spaghetti squash carbonara or sweet potato sheet pan dishes.
Break Your Routine
If your daily routine falls into more of a chaotic pattern, it could make you feel more depressed than usual. Break your typical schedule sometimes to remind yourself that you control your life.
Take your family to fall activities around town, such as a hay bale ride or a pumpkin patch. Sip a pumpkin spice latte in a different coffee shop while your kids are in school. A change in pace could feel refreshing and bring your life back to a functional routine that supports your mental health.
Find a New Craft
It’s easy to push depression symptoms aside for your family’s needs. It might help at the moment, but those symptoms will continue to intensify in the back of your mind. Starting a new crafting hobby could help with that.
Spending time on a favorite form of crafting reaffirms your self-worth by putting your interests first, which decreases depression symptoms. For instance, start with a fall activity, such as making Halloween costumes. If that’s not your style, decorate fall-themed sugar cookies or make autumn floral arrangements. There’s always something seasonal to do in the crafting world if you reflect on what interests you most.
Enjoy Diffused Essential Oils
While you’re reading the newest fall novel or setting up family game night, add autumn essential oils to a diffuser. Research shows essential oils may relieve some depression symptoms if enjoyed more than once. They’ll make your home smell incredible while soothing your mental health. If you love multitasking, this mood-boosting fall activity could be the best way to reform your daily routine.
Indulge in Autumn Mocktails
You might enjoy an apple cider whiskey sour after the kids go to bed, but try drinking less often to see how it changes your SAD symptoms. Alcohol is a psychotropic depressant that negatively affects neurons. Even if you’re drinking to have fun, your central nervous system will intensify any existing mood disorders.
Look for mocktail alternatives when you want a hard beverage. They’re just as delicious but better for your brain. You could also make your own mocktail recipes if you feel like getting more creative in the kitchen this fall.
Living with SAD can feel debilitating, but you can manage your condition by changing your routine. Try these activities when your symptoms start encroaching on daily life. Alongside recommendations from your primary care physician, you’ll have your best autumn yet.
*Disclaimer: The advice on CafeMom.com is not a substitute for consultation with a medical professional or treatment for a specific condition. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem without consulting a qualified professional. Please contact your health-care provider with questions and concerns.
