Feeling tired first thing in the morning, losing interest in others and in what’s happening around you, a low sex drive, no motivation to do anything… there could be a touch of the blues in the air. Nothing to panic about—November and the holiday season don’t help. But don’t let the blues take hold either! Give it six firm wake-up calls with these tips.
Slap #1 to November Blues: Fight Fatigue
Your number-one enemy, especially in November when the days get shorter and the sun is scarce, is fatigue: when lack of rest combines with overwork or a packed schedule, the feeling of burning out can quickly lead to depressive symptoms.
In this case, the remedy is fairly simple: rest and relaxation! Plan: more outdoor walks, longer sleep, and a mindful diet (we’ll return to it), and everything will quickly fall back into place. Once the body is well rested, the mental state also improves markedly!
Slap #2: Break Bad Habits
Next, taking back control starts with a simple, sensible check-up. Review your lifestyle and modify what needs changing—this already improves many situations. Is my diet balanced, is my alcohol intake reasonable, am I getting enough sleep, do I get enough fresh air, what about the time I spend on exercise and leisure?
Slap #3: Load Your Plate with Vitality!
It’s hard to feel truly good in your own skin, and even harder to push away dark thoughts, without a balanced diet!
- Prioritize vitamins and minerals: load up on fruit—citrus in the lead—and vegetables, including frozen options given the season.
- As for B vitamins, recommended for nerve-related fatigue, where can you find them? Vegetables and fruits always, bananas at the top, but also whole grains, potatoes, fish, meat, and poultry…
- Bread, pasta and cereals, preferably whole, will provide you with carbohydrates, sources of serenity.
- Put more often legumes, lentils and chickpeas, on the menu, and season your dishes with brewer’s yeast and wheat germ: their B vitamins and trace elements are precious for you!
- A magnesium deficiency is often linked to greater vulnerability to stress, fatigue, and depression. Where to find it? In cocoa powder, dark chocolate—yes!—, almonds and other nuts, dried fruits, bananas, leafy greens, and shellfish…
- Whether you’re compensating for dietary gaps or just trying to regain pep, consider supplements if following the tips below is challenging: vitamins, trace elements, omega-3s… sometimes that’s exactly what you need to feel better in your skin.
Slap #4: Light Up Your Life!
If fatigue, blues, lassitude, and dark thoughts always hit at the same time of year, you may simply be dealing with a lack of light. It’s fairly common—roughly one in five people are affected. In that case, the solution often lies in light therapy.
This is done at home with a special lamp, whose light intensity must be adjusted case by case. Experience has shown that the blues disappear, or at least lessen markedly, after about 15 days with a half-hour of exposure per day near such a lamp. If you think your current mood might be related to insufficient light, don’t hesitate to discuss it with your doctor.
Slap #5: Make Plants Work for You
When it’s really just a slump, a temporary malaise, there are various natural remedies to give a big boost to those little depressions.
Now a standard in holistic medicine, homeopathy offers not one, but as usual, multiple responses to states of malaise: be sure to consult with a professional.
The phytotherapy, or plant-based healing, also offers its own specific solutions: in addition to St. John’s wort and passionflower, two standouts in the fight against blues, you should also consider Rhodiola rosea.
Comprimés, gouttes ou tisanes—take advantage of the boosts that the “herbs” can provide.
Also interesting are glycerin macerates, and more specifically the one from the fig tree, which works well for nervous depression and sleep disturbances. When well targeted, glycerin macerates act quickly, sometimes in just a few days.
To boost your chances, also consider spagyrics, in ready-made or individualized formulas.
Slap #6: Slip Essential Oils into Your Anti-Depression Kit
To quickly rediscover the joy of living: one drop of rose geranium essential oil on the inside of the wrist or on the back of the hand, for a few days.
To relax and chase dark thoughts, nothing beats a few drops of lavender essential oil, rubbed at the solar plexus or on the back, or added directly to your bath.
Want softness, but also cheer? Lavender again, but this time in diffusion, for about ten minutes, and combined with a few drops of mandarin essential oil.
The essential oils of sweet orange, Litsea cubeba, fir, neroli, or ylang-ylang are also excellent allies for bringing back your smile.
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