Seasonal mood swings are like period cramps for me. I feel them oncoming and I’m like “here they are again.” Many people I know love the transition of summer to fall. But some of my close friends and I are more prone to feeling anxious, sad, or angry over things that normally wouldn’t affect us. So this week, I’ll be sharing three strategies that have been helping me through the transition.
Disclaimer going forward: I can only speak on my own experiences. And I’m by no means a qualified mental health practitioner. If you are going through a difficult time or at risk, please reach out to a professional and confide in loved ones.
Bundle up, keep warm
I’m much more likely to feel stressed all the time or downright miserable when I’m cold. And it doesn’t help that I’m not tolerant to it. Natural ways to raise body temperature is a very well researched topic of mine.
I’ve been cooking a lot with turmeric and cayenne pepper. I’ve been replacing vegetable oil with coconut oil. There are many other foods and spices that can boost your body temperature.
Uniqlo Heat Tech has also been a huge help. $20 to $30 for a pair an undershirt or pair of leggings is quite expensive in my books. However, it’s a small price to pay to not freeze.
You may also want to invest in a heated mattress pad or a heated pad in general. I cannot imagine winters or periods without my heated pad.
Put your mind to use
Whenever I’m feeling anxious or apprehensive for no reason, I try to redirect my mental energy to something else. I enjoy the feeling of using my brain and working on a new skill.
It doesn’t even have to be anything career oriented. For example, I’ve been learning to read tarot cards. It’s not going to help me in my career. It may or may not help me in life. However, it is something I find fascinating and I enjoy learning it. Enjoyment is the key to redirecting nervous energy into doing something productive.
As I mentioned in my post on sadness, we’re much more open to change and transformation when we’re feeling vulnerable.
But on the flip side, if you’re mentally burned out, take a break to veg out on the couch. When my thoughts get too loud and chaotic, it helps to just put on a TV show or anime and turn my brain off.
Physically make a list of things to do and cross them off
This is a new habit I’ve been getting into. Once again, the tasks don’t have to be monumental. They can be the most mundane, simple things.
For example, here’s today’s list for me:
- write blog post
- meal prep – baked chicken breast and kimchi fried rice!
- do laundry
- meet friend for early dinner
- do my stretch routine
The key here is to make an actual list (paper or electronic) that you can cross off at the end of the day. This way, you can look back on your day and be like “oh, I actually got things done” rather than feeling like you’ve accomplished nothing. Even if you managed to complete one task, that’s still something.
This habit stops the days from all blurring together. Which stops the feeling of monotony and meaninglessness. Which helps me feel less stressed/anxious for no reason.
Hugs and kisses,
~ Jin
You can also find me on my personal blog
Life Outside of Design Studio 
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