Don't forget to sign up for The Good Life Challenge, a 10 day whole food plant-based diet challenge on January 11th-20th. See your wellness coordinator for more details about the challenge and how to sign up!

Create a Sleep-Inducing Bedroom

Make your bedroom a place of comfort and relaxation by using a high-performance mattress and pillow that provide proper support. You should also consider buying quality bedding that feels cozy to the touch and will help maintain a comfortable temperature throughout the night.

Avoid Light Disruption

Excess light exposure can throw off your sleep and circadian rhythm. Try using blackout curtains or a sleep mask over your eyes to block light and prevent it from interfering with your sleep.

Cultivate Peace and Quiet

Try to keep noise to a minimum to help promote a sleep-positive bedroom. If you are unable to eliminate nearby sources of noise, consider drowning them out with a fan or white noise machine. Earplugs or headphones are another option to stop sounds from bothering you when you want to sleep.

Find an Agreeable Temperature

You do not want to get too hot or too cold while you sleep. The ideal temperature can vary based on the individual, but most research supports sleeping in a cooler room that is around 65 degrees.

Introduce Pleasant Aromas

A light scent that you find calming can help ease you into sleep. Essential oils with natural aromas, such as lavender, can provide a soothing and fresh smell for your bedroom.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects millions of Americans. SAD is a type of depression characterized by its recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting about 4 to 5 months per year.

For winter-pattern SAD, additional specific symptoms may include:

• Oversleeping (hypersomnia)
• Overeating, particularly with a craving for carbohydrates
• Weight gain
• Social withdrawal (feeling like “hibernating”)

Treatments are available that can help many people with SAD. They fall into four main categories that may be used alone or in combination:

• Light therapy
• Psychotherapy
• Antidepressant medications
• Vitamin D

Talk to your health care provider about which treatment, or combination of treatments, is best for you

Get Immediate Help

If you or someone you know is in immediate distress or is thinking about hurting themselves, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the toll-free TTY number at 1-800-799-4TTY (4889). You also can text the Crisis Text Line (HELLO to 741741) or go to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website.

Email: noce@smolaconsulting.com
Website: www.smolaconsulting.com
Location: 1 South Washington Street, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: 5857774080