Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is very real.
Ask anyone who suffers from it.
Some ideas to deal with it...
Obviously, get as much exposure to the sun as you can.
I hate the cold, but I force myself to get outside as much as possible during the hours that the sun shines. It really does make a difference. Bundle up and go for a walk before work (if it's light out) or on your lunch break. Which leads me to...
Exercise.
Beef up your exercise routine.
What? You don't have one? Then get one.
Exercise is proven to reduce stress and depression.
If you are not a person who likes to exercise try something low impact like walking.
Twenty minutes of walking a day will make a big difference in your energy level and will help if you have trouble sleeping.
Which leads me to...
Sleep.
Lack of sleep is a major cause of stress and depression.
Gearing down before bedtime with meditation, a hot bath/shower or some soothing music is a great way to decompress and get your body ready for sleep.
Also, increase your indoor light.
An extra lamp or two or some additional candles will help.
And be realistic.
We only have to deal with this weird shift in the light pattern for a few months.
By December 12th, the days have quit getting shorter. A few days after that, they start getting longer again.
And then it's just a few short months until Spring.
