春天是万物复苏、生机勃勃的时节。在春天,鸟鸣声不绝于耳,阳光照射的时间延长了,气温也变得更加舒适宜人。但是,为什么尽管我们等待了数月,却仍然不觉得“称心如意”呢?
现实情况是这样的:无论是从天气角度,还是我们的内心角度来看,春天都意味着变化,而变化是令人惴惴不安的,尤其是当我们还没有为冬春交替时节的剧烈变化做好准备时。
精神病学家约翰·夏普博士说:“春天万物复苏,但开局并不喜人。”
夏普撰写了《情绪日历:了解季节的影响和里程碑,让你变得更快乐、更充实,并驾驭生活》(The Emotional Calendar: Understanding Seasonal Influences and Milestones to Become Happier, More Fulfilled, and in Control of Your Life)一书,他表示每个季节都分为三个阶段:孟春、仲春、季春,以此类推。孟春、孟夏、孟秋、孟冬时期的天气通常最难以预测,在心理上尤其难以忍受。
夏普告诉《财富》杂志:“在孟春时节,大脑中血清素的转换增加,新陈代谢也会加快。但我们还没有完全做好准备,所以会有一种焦躁不安的感觉,觉得有些事情必须改变。”
夏普指出,这就是为什么春天可能会让人觉得是最终寻求解决拖延已久的问题的时机,例如想要结束一段关系、搬家或辞职。
他说:“‘我必须做出些许改变’的感觉非常混乱,很难应对。但这种感觉终究会成为过去时。”
但不要将这种躁动不安、怪异的内心感受视为全部;春天依旧是万物复苏的季节,只要你愿意,你也可以焕发生机。夏普分享了一些建议,以减轻每年春天经常出现的变化带来的令人难以承受的不适感。
避免做出冲动的决定
很多人都想在春天理发,或者是添加一套新衣服。虽然这些决定有时是一时冲动,但通常是无功无过的。但夏普警告道,不要做出影响深远的冲动决定,比如举家搬迁。要意识到自己正在经历的感受,但尽量不要立即采取行动。
他说:“不要反应过度,也不要冲动地得出结论。如果你确实需要做某件事情,你可以稍后再做,那时你更能发挥干劲。”
试着告诉自己,如果确实需要做出改变来改善情绪和整体生活体验,从长远来看,调整一下再出发并不会带来问题。
多做适合自己的事情
你不必因为春天天气晴好,动力十足,就一定要养成新习惯或培养新爱好。
夏普说:“如果你不喜欢瑜伽,就不必开始练瑜伽。如果你平时不去健身房健身,也不必开始去健身房锻炼。”
“但是要做任何适合自己的事情,甚至能够多做一点。利用熟悉的力量安抚自己,一切都会好起来的,问题也会迎刃而解。”
坚持遵循日常惯例,无论这样的惯例多么简单,都能够极大地影响心理健康状态,原因是这样做可以降低压力水平,改善睡眠。
拥抱随性而为的态度
也许这看起来很傻,但拥抱新季节及其奇特之处实际上会对你的季节变化观产生积极影响。如果你对早春变幻莫测的天气持消极态度,那么你可能就会比每天保持开放的心态接受新鲜事物的人更难适应。
夏普说:“无论你是否喜欢这种变化无常的天气,它都能够塑造你的个性。”
“你可以接受即兴的计划吗?如果你更擅长随性而为,春天可能对你就更有吸引力。”
先别收起冬装
气温开始回升的那一刻,似乎是把蛰伏的春装拿出来的最佳时机,但如若它们需要很快重返冬眠状态,也不要感到惊讶。
夏普说:“拿出春装,但当天气再次变冷时,也不要感到生气。”
这就好比孟春时节,尽管天气还没有完全转好,水仙花等迎春花却已经悄然绽放。虽然它们是春天到来的预兆,但当我们醒来时发现霜冻,迎春花的绽放可能会让我们感到困惑。
也许我们以为只要收起冬衣,穿上凉鞋,就能够迎接温暖的天气,但准备好还不能穿上身的衣服,反而会让人更加失望。此外,它还会为春季大扫除添加几分杂乱。
与其将这些衣服都搬到衣橱或梳妆台里,还不如拿出几件过渡性的单品,让自己焕发春天的气息。
走出户外
当你情绪低落时,你最不想做的事情就是起床。但户外活动确实可以改善心理健康状态。即使在户外待上五分钟,也能够改变你的想法。
夏普表示,虽然初春时节的天气并不稳定,但即便在天气不好的时候到户外活动,也可以改善心态,这与上述情况类似。即使你需要把这一刻营造得更为浪漫。
“如果天气很冷,想一想这样的场景带给你的感觉:当你回到家,暖暖身子,给自己泡上一杯好茶,用热杯子捂手,甚至点上一支蜡烛。哇,你会感到非常幸福。”
在缺乏动力的时候,做一些强迫自己离开家的事情,比如遛狗或买杂货,这都是很好的选择。
但如果你似乎无法摆脱持续的乏味感,那么它就可能根植于更严重的问题,而不仅仅是变化带来的不安感。
季节性抑郁症或季节性情感障碍(SAD)也会在每年的这个时候发生。这是一种持续的悲伤情绪,通常与阴暗、寒冷的冬日有关,让一些人惊讶的是,它会一直持续到春天。实际上,研究还表明,精神疾病和情绪障碍患者的症状往往在春季变得更加明显,甚至加重。
这在一定程度上是由于我们接触到的光照量发生了变化,从而影响了昼夜节律,所以即使光照量增加似乎是治疗季节性抑郁症的万灵药,但它也会造成失衡感,让人感到难以承受或筋疲力尽。
在春天或任何季节感到悲伤或沮丧都是正常的,这不一定是在敲响警钟。就像其他医疗问题一样,心理健康问题也不应该被掩盖。如果你已经尝试了这些方法中任何一种或几种,但仍旧无法摆脱持续的悲伤情绪,那么可能是时候去问诊了。
夏普说:“最糟糕的事情是感到孤立无援。对大多数人来说,情况都会好转,但如果你觉得自己的情况不是这样,那就寻求帮助吧。”(财富中文网)
译者:中慧言-王芳
春天是万物复苏、生机勃勃的时节。在春天,鸟鸣声不绝于耳,阳光照射的时间延长了,气温也变得更加舒适宜人。但是,为什么尽管我们等待了数月,却仍然不觉得“称心如意”呢?
现实情况是这样的:无论是从天气角度,还是我们的内心角度来看,春天都意味着变化,而变化是令人惴惴不安的,尤其是当我们还没有为冬春交替时节的剧烈变化做好准备时。
精神病学家约翰·夏普博士说:“春天万物复苏,但开局并不喜人。”
夏普撰写了《情绪日历:了解季节的影响和里程碑,让你变得更快乐、更充实,并驾驭生活》(The Emotional Calendar: Understanding Seasonal Influences and Milestones to Become Happier, More Fulfilled, and in Control of Your Life)一书,他表示每个季节都分为三个阶段:孟春、仲春、季春,以此类推。孟春、孟夏、孟秋、孟冬时期的天气通常最难以预测,在心理上尤其难以忍受。
夏普告诉《财富》杂志:“在孟春时节,大脑中血清素的转换增加,新陈代谢也会加快。但我们还没有完全做好准备,所以会有一种焦躁不安的感觉,觉得有些事情必须改变。”
夏普指出,这就是为什么春天可能会让人觉得是最终寻求解决拖延已久的问题的时机,例如想要结束一段关系、搬家或辞职。
他说:“‘我必须做出些许改变’的感觉非常混乱,很难应对。但这种感觉终究会成为过去时。”
但不要将这种躁动不安、怪异的内心感受视为全部;春天依旧是万物复苏的季节,只要你愿意,你也可以焕发生机。夏普分享了一些建议,以减轻每年春天经常出现的变化带来的令人难以承受的不适感。
避免做出冲动的决定
很多人都想在春天理发,或者是添加一套新衣服。虽然这些决定有时是一时冲动,但通常是无功无过的。但夏普警告道,不要做出影响深远的冲动决定,比如举家搬迁。要意识到自己正在经历的感受,但尽量不要立即采取行动。
他说:“不要反应过度,也不要冲动地得出结论。如果你确实需要做某件事情,你可以稍后再做,那时你更能发挥干劲。”
试着告诉自己,如果确实需要做出改变来改善情绪和整体生活体验,从长远来看,调整一下再出发并不会带来问题。
多做适合自己的事情
你不必因为春天天气晴好,动力十足,就一定要养成新习惯或培养新爱好。
夏普说:“如果你不喜欢瑜伽,就不必开始练瑜伽。如果你平时不去健身房健身,也不必开始去健身房锻炼。”
“但是要做任何适合自己的事情,甚至能够多做一点。利用熟悉的力量安抚自己,一切都会好起来的,问题也会迎刃而解。”
坚持遵循日常惯例,无论这样的惯例多么简单,都能够极大地影响心理健康状态,原因是这样做可以降低压力水平,改善睡眠。
拥抱随性而为的态度
也许这看起来很傻,但拥抱新季节及其奇特之处实际上会对你的季节变化观产生积极影响。如果你对早春变幻莫测的天气持消极态度,那么你可能就会比每天保持开放的心态接受新鲜事物的人更难适应。
夏普说:“无论你是否喜欢这种变化无常的天气,它都能够塑造你的个性。”
“你可以接受即兴的计划吗?如果你更擅长随性而为,春天可能对你就更有吸引力。”
先别收起冬装
气温开始回升的那一刻,似乎是把蛰伏的春装拿出来的最佳时机,但如若它们需要很快重返冬眠状态,也不要感到惊讶。
夏普说:“拿出春装,但当天气再次变冷时,也不要感到生气。”
这就好比孟春时节,尽管天气还没有完全转好,水仙花等迎春花却已经悄然绽放。虽然它们是春天到来的预兆,但当我们醒来时发现霜冻,迎春花的绽放可能会让我们感到困惑。
也许我们以为只要收起冬衣,穿上凉鞋,就能够迎接温暖的天气,但准备好还不能穿上身的衣服,反而会让人更加失望。此外,它还会为春季大扫除添加几分杂乱。
与其将这些衣服都搬到衣橱或梳妆台里,还不如拿出几件过渡性的单品,让自己焕发春天的气息。
走出户外
当你情绪低落时,你最不想做的事情就是起床。但户外活动确实可以改善心理健康状态。即使在户外待上五分钟,也能够改变你的想法。
夏普表示,虽然初春时节的天气并不稳定,但即便在天气不好的时候到户外活动,也可以改善心态,这与上述情况类似。即使你需要把这一刻营造得更为浪漫。
“如果天气很冷,想一想这样的场景带给你的感觉:当你回到家,暖暖身子,给自己泡上一杯好茶,用热杯子捂手,甚至点上一支蜡烛。哇,你会感到非常幸福。”
在缺乏动力的时候,做一些强迫自己离开家的事情,比如遛狗或买杂货,这都是很好的选择。
但如果你似乎无法摆脱持续的乏味感,那么它就可能根植于更严重的问题,而不仅仅是变化带来的不安感。
季节性抑郁症或季节性情感障碍(SAD)也会在每年的这个时候发生。这是一种持续的悲伤情绪,通常与阴暗、寒冷的冬日有关,让一些人惊讶的是,它会一直持续到春天。实际上,研究还表明,精神疾病和情绪障碍患者的症状往往在春季变得更加明显,甚至加重。
这在一定程度上是由于我们接触到的光照量发生了变化,从而影响了昼夜节律,所以即使光照量增加似乎是治疗季节性抑郁症的万灵药,但它也会造成失衡感,让人感到难以承受或筋疲力尽。
在春天或任何季节感到悲伤或沮丧都是正常的,这不一定是在敲响警钟。就像其他医疗问题一样,心理健康问题也不应该被掩盖。如果你已经尝试了这些方法中任何一种或几种,但仍旧无法摆脱持续的悲伤情绪,那么可能是时候去问诊了。
夏普说:“最糟糕的事情是感到孤立无援。对大多数人来说,情况都会好转,但如果你觉得自己的情况不是这样,那就寻求帮助吧。”(财富中文网)
译者:中慧言-王芳
Spring is a time of renewal and growth. It’s when the birds chirp more, the sun shines longer, and temperatures feel much more bearable. But why is it that despite all these things we’ve waited months for, we still don’t feel 100% “right”?
Here’s the reality: Spring means change—whether it’s in the weather or within us—and change is uncomfortable. Especially when we aren’t prepared for the jarring adjustment between winter and spring.
“Spring gets good, but it doesn’t start good,” says psychiatrist Dr. John Sharp.
Sharp, who wrote the book The Emotional Calendar: Understanding Seasonal Influences and Milestones to Become Happier, More Fulfilled, and in Control of Your Life, says each season has three parts: early, full, and waning. The early part—when the weather is typically the most unpredictable—can be particularly hard mentally.
“In early spring, there’s an increased turnover of serotonin in the brain, and our metabolism kind of gears up. But we’re not fully ready for it yet, so we get this restless feeling like something has to change,” Sharp tells Fortune.
This is why spring may feel like a time for finally pursuing delayed resolutions, like feeling the desire to get out of a relationship, to move, or to quit your job, Sharp says.
“The ‘I have to change something’ feeling is very disorganizing and difficult to handle,” he says. “But it passes.”
But don’t consider this restless, weird inner feeling the be-all and end-all; spring is still the time of year when things bloom, and you can, too—if you want to. Sharp shares his suggestions to limit the overwhelming discomfort of change that often comes up this time of year.
Avoid impulsive decisions
Many people feel the desire to chop their hair in the spring, or to get a fresh wardrobe. Though these decisions are sometimes impulsive, they are usually harmless. But Sharp warns against more impactful impulsive decisions, like uprooting your family. Be aware of the feelings you’re experiencing, but try not to act immediately on them.
“Don’t overreact or try to reach some conclusion impulsively,” he says. “If it’s something you really need to do, you’ll be able to do it later when your energy can be better put to use.”
Try telling yourself that if a change truly needs to happen to improve your mood and overall life experience, taking a beat to do so won’t be a problem in the long run.
Do more of what works for you
You don’t have to take on a new habit or hobby in the spring just because the weather is nicer and there might be more of a push to.
“If you’re not into yoga, you don’t have to start yoga. If you don’t go to the gym, you don’t have to start going to the gym,” Sharp says.
“But do whatever works for you, and maybe even do it a little more. Use the power of the familiar to try and assure yourself that this is going to be okay, that you’re going to figure this out.”
Sticking to a routine, no matter how simple, can greatly impact mental health, as it can lower stress levels and improve sleep.
Welcome spontaneity
It may seem silly, but welcoming a new season and its quirks can actually positively impact your outlook on the changing seasons. If you look at the unpredictable early spring weather negatively, you’ll likely have a harder time than if you keep your mind open to the idea of newness every day.
“It can characterize you as a person, whether or not you like the inconsistency,” Sharp says.
“Are you cool with an unscripted plan? If you’re better with spontaneity, spring might be more appealing to you.”
Don’t put away your winter wardrobe just yet
The moment temperatures begin to rise seems like the perfect time to take your warmer-weather clothes out of hibernation, but don’t be surprised if they need to return there just as quickly.
“Get out your spring clothes, but don’t be mad at them when it gets cold again,” says Sharp.
This is similar to when spring flowers, like daffodils, pop up early spring despite the weather not being fully nice yet. Though they are a harbinger of spring, their presence can be confusing when we’re still waking up to frost.
Perhaps we think we can manifest the warm weather by putting away our winter coats and grabbing out the sandals, but having clothes at the ready that you just can’t wear yet could actually lead to more disappointment. Plus, it’s added clutter for your spring cleaning.
Instead of migrating it all to your closet or dresser, maybe grab out a couple of transitional pieces to get you in the spirit of spring.
Get outside
When you’re feeling down, the last thing you may want to do is leave your bed. But it’s true that being outside improves your mental health. Even spending five minutes outdoors changes your vantage point.
Though the early part of spring brings inconsistent weather, Sharp says, even being outside when the weather is unfavorable can improve the way we feel, much like the previous point. Even if you have to romanticize the moment.
“If the weather is cold, think of how you’d feel when you come back and get warmed up and make yourself a nice cup of tea, put your hands on the outside of the hot mug, and maybe even light a candle? Boy, you’d feel so happy.”
Having to do something that forces you to leave the house, like walking your dog or getting groceries, is also great when the motivation just isn’t there.
But if you can’t seem to shake a persistent blah feeling, it might be rooted in something more serious than just uneasy feelings about change.
Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), happens this time of year too. It’s a persistent feeling of sadness typically associated with dark, cold winter days, making its continued presence into the spring surprising for some. Studies actually also show that symptoms for people with mental illness and mood disorders often become more apparent and worsen during the spring season.
This is partly due to changes in the amount of light we’re exposed to, which impacts our circadian rhythm, so even though more sunlight seems to be a surefire cure to seasonal depression, it creates an imbalance that can feel overwhelming or exhausting.
Feeling sad or off in the spring—or any season—is normal and not necessarily something that should shoot off warning bells. But like any other medical concern, mental health issues shouldn’t be pushed under the rug. If you’ve tried any or a combination of these tips and you can’t shake a constant sadness, it may be time to talk to a doctor.
“The worst thing is when somebody feels isolated and alone. Things will get better for most people, but if you don’t feel like that’s you, reach out for help,” says Sharp.