Weather and health

I don’t really believe in coincidence that is the reason I am writing about the weather today. Last Friday I was thinking about our strange Dutch weather and posted about it on my Facebook wall, not 10 minutes later I came across an article about the relationship between weather and moods. Now that was too big a coincidence to pass up.

Is there a coincidence between the weather and our moods? Some people think there is, some think there isn’t.  I belong to the group who think there is. Why otherwise do people get winter depression? [And as my friend Vilma Kuzmiene told me summer depression as well] As soon as the days get longer, some people start to feel down.

I can think of the following reasons [both physical and psychological]:
•    We need sunlight [vitamins] to stay healthy and as the sun loses its strength we lose the vitamins.
•    Women can feel less mobile during the winter months. If you don’t like going out in the dark you are housebound many hours of the day in winter.
•    The cold can affect your muscles making them stiff and painful.
•    Staying warm despite the cold takes up energy.
But as Vilma said there are reasons for summer depression as well:
•    Constant heat for sometimes weeks or months on end can make people prickly.
•    Heat can make people sick, especially the elderly and people with physical problems. Fighting the heat takes energy.

For those who live closer to poles mid winter and midsummer can play havoc on the system. There will be weeks were there is no darkness or no light. Our system needs the clue that the sun gives us, to tell us when it is time to go to sleep and to wake up.

How does this all affect me?

My moods are not affected much by the temperature. I have to admit that I do love the long evenings in summer, when I find it easier to set out on my own. I used to be a person who loved spring and fall and did not like the extremes of summer at all. Until about 6 years ago I began to notice that a good, warm summer gave me a lot of reserves for the winter. My muscles soak up the heat and store that energy. So my body still dislikes the heat [I find it hard to concentrate when the temperature reaches 30 C and above] my mind is now much more motivated to endure it and even enjoy the benefits. Is was very interesting for me to observe that change. Last year we had no summer to speak of here and I am beginning to notice it.  That meant it was time to take care of myself.  In February I will be spending a week in Lanzarote to soak up some sun.

Please tell me about you. Does the weather affect your moods or your health? And what do you do to stay on top of it?

Happy new year

Welcome to 2012. A new colour for a new year and many more changes in store. This blog will not stay active for much longer hopefully. Soon you will be able to read the blog only at; http://www.safehavenonlinetherapy.com/blog/

Right now I am working hard on adding new pages and making it really awesome. Very different and more orientated on what you the reader are looking for. [hopefully so feedback is always more than welcome]

That leads me to my new year's resolutions. It is almost impossible to avoid those this week, aren't they. Are you sick of them already? Chucked yours out?

So many people make their resolution and then within weeks fail to stick to them. On the 1st of January we sit down full of confidence, the holidays are behind us and we have new energy.

And that is often the start of the problem. We are so enthusiastic that we ask too much of ourselves. We want it all and we want it now. That might work for a few weeks, yet too often we burn ourselves out that way.

As with everything it is better to plan your resolutions and not ask too much of yourself:

• Be flexible in your scedule
• Leave time for fun things!
• Leave blank spaces for unforseen events
• Start small, many small goals are easier to achieve then one big one
• Try not to go it alone. Select a good friend to go over your plans and ask for feedback
• Don't throw it all out if you are dissapointed with your progress. Little things are better then nothing.

I don't make a year plan anymore, I make 3 months plans, both for what I like to get done for work and some projects in my private life. I started experimenting with that last year. What I found out so far is that for me smaller is better. I started out with making my list of goals much too long and that way I had so much added stress. Now I have a few things that I really want to achieve and a small lists of things that I can do if I have time to spare and it works so much better.





Let me know what works for you! And good luck in this new year.

Merry christmas to all

This is my last entry for 2011. Next week I have given myself the week off. Much needed "me" time.

I just want to wish you all a merry christmas to spend the way you want. And for next year, health and happiness.

January is a time for new starts and I hope it will be a good year for you and it will bring you all you hope for.

Thank you for following my blog this year and I hope you will continue to do so in 2012.

Mieke

So what are you going to watch over Christmas?

For me Christmas itself is about watching DVD's. This stems from the many years that I worked in a bookstore and I was too tired when christmar rolled around to do anything else. Even since I stopped working there I kept the tradition. Of course I will spend some time with my parents or occasionally friends but mostly it is me time. It took me some time to admit openly that this makes me happy as christmas is supposed to be a time to spend with others and eat a lot. I thought people would pitty me when I told them I preferred to spend it on my own in front of the telly. Now that I am secure in who I am, I have no more problems saying this out loud. I will settle in my favorite chair with a fire blazing and a hot water bottle near. Then let the feast begin.

What will I watch this year?

I have many options. Usually I allow myself a few DVD's from my wishlist for christmas and I combine that with some christmas classics.

This year there were two [for me] new christmas movies on my wishlist. Thomas Kinkade's christmas cottage and christmas lodge. The first one is in, the other will be shipped from the States so fingers crossed it comes in on time. I selected it because Erin Karpluk from Being Erica is the female lead and I like her a lot. BTW Being Erica is a Canadian show well worth watching.

Next will be some classics I have owned for a few years now. Usually I am not into silly comedies but at christmas time I love them. I will select from between National Lampoon's christmas holiday and the Santa Clause movies. Next to those I might throw in Love absolutely and It's a wonderful life.


That brings me to the non-christmas movies and series:

I am a huge fan of British mysteries so I will be rewatching series that I saw many years ago and am now starting to buy on DVD. The first seasons of The Chief and Judge John Deed just came in and I am saving those for christmas. I might also throw in some Midsomer murders.

tv specials

Last will be the tv specials of favorite shows. I have not seen the list yet but there is a Dr. Who special every year and I have heard there will be a Downton Abbey special this year. Both shows I love.

That concludes my list. Please share what you are going to watch this year! 

 

Holiday season survival tips

It's that time of the year again. Holiday season! The time of year people expect you to be happy and in good cheer. How many people really talk about the holiday stress of having to get everything done: shopping, decorating, Christmas cards.

Now as this is stressful for the general population, you can imagine how much harder it is going to be for Highly sensitive people or those coping with pain. More often than usual you don't want to show your family and friends how stressed you are and of course everything you do has to be perfect. :)

Yet I tell you it is time to change. It is hard to hear, but don't try to be perfect, good is good enough.

Here are some plans to get through the holiday season  with less stress and more enjoyment

• Plan! Plan! Plan! Start your preparations early! Best is to make a plan of all you have to do and leave yourself plenty of free time for days that you are really not up to doing anything.
• Prioritise, go through your Christmas card list and ask yourself do you really need to send them all? Did everyone return your cards last year? Could you just send some people an online card? The same with sending parcels. Does it give you stress or pleasure?
• Delegate! Delegate! Delegate. Listen carefully, you do not have to do everything on your own. Family and friends are capable of helping and often they are glad to help you. They would rather see you happy and doing less than miserable when doing everything on your own. A hard thing to get for us perfectionists.
• Say no. If you are not up for family visits Christmas eve and/or both days of Christmas, don't do it. Think of yourself first.

 I know this is not as easy as it sounds. You don't want to let anyone down. But keep in mind, if you try to please everyone around you, you are going to be the one ending up in pain and with a lot of stress. Look after yourself first.

Let me know if you have any holiday tips and success stories of managing your stress in this last month of the year.