I love living in London, but I always find the grey winters a challenge. Like a lot of people, I suffer from the winter blues, now known more formally as Seasonal Affective Disorder. If you feel depressed and low-energy during these short days, maybe you do as well. Here are the solutions I'm trying:
1) A SAD Lamp. This is a high-intensity light that you keep near you (you don't look directly into it) for 30-90 minutes in the morning. The idea is simulating the kind of light that you'd get in the summer affects your brain chemistry in a positive manner.
2) St. John's Wort supplement. This is very popular, especially in Germany, as an anti-depressant, and is available over the counter from health food stores and drug stores/chemists.
3) Vitamin D supplement. Your body makes Vitamin D when exposed to sunshine, but many doctors believe that it's beneficial to take a supplement during the winter months.
(Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor and you should consult your own before making any decisions about supplements to take.)
4) Exercise. Even light exercise (no pun intended...) has been shown to help people suffering from depression. Of course it's hard to motivate yourself when you're low energy, so if you can't manage a visit to the gym, at least take a walk.
5) On days when you feel like doing nothing creative...do at least a little. That alone can lift your spirits.
Good luck--and remember, Spring is on the way!
(For tips & techniques for being more creative and productive, sign up for our free monthly Brainstorm e-bulletin, by request to: [email protected].)