Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is definitely a thing.

Well, maybe not for you all right now living above the 27th parallel where the sun continues to shine and days rarely dip below the low 20s. SAD is generally associated with "winter blues" although having lived in the Pilbara region I can confirm it applies to hot weather too. Sometimes one would like to wear a jacket and boots for a change and relentless 45 degree days with high humidity can be enough to make one faint in a Subway during a busy lunch time. . . or so I've heard.

So what can you do to beat the seasonal sadness?

Stay healthy

Well, obvs. If you're continually fighting the symptoms of cold and flu and your nose is running like Cathy Freeman in the 400m final of the Sydney Olympics then you're hardly going to be a barrel of laughs. Get your flu shot, wash your hands, hold your breath on public transport, you get the drill. I personally will smash pseudoephedrine at the first sign of a sniffle, no matter how many forms I need to fill in and how much ID I need to produce to assure the chemist I'm not making meth in the spare room. Eating well, staying hydrated and keeping your vitamin levels up all make sense and avoid germy people. If that means your own kids, well, who I am I to judge.

Make an effort

Not going to lie, I spend non-office days during the winter in some pretty high-comfort attire - mainly trackies and jumpers. I definitely notice the lift in my sense of purpose and wellbeing when I get dressed for work or some other kind of occasion. I love winter fashion; jackets and scarves make me look more polished than I actually am plus I like big boots (and I cannot lie). Make up on my face, hair did. The only things I don't maintain are leg hair (why would you bother and they are blonde anyway) and my toenails, which I allow to lie fallow until the warmer months and peep-toe shoes make their reappearance. I must stress the importance of moisturising during these months however; super hot showers and dry warm air means scaly skin and that is not going to make you feel good.

Get up and out

Staying in becomes the new favourite thing; whether it be in bed, a boiling hot shower or the lounge room in front of the heater, borging on pasta and gritty British crime drama. Forcing yourself out of the house (within reason, nobody is suggesting you sit out in the rain in sub-zero temperatures, be real) can provide that boost to your activity level that increases endorphins and has the added benefit of snaring Vitamin D if the sun is playing nice. Rug up and get out. Kids love that shiz. Just take a towel if you're heading to the playground to wipe down any wet play equipment (#toptip)

If it's within your means, heading super north for the winter definitely sounds appealing.

Accor Hotels recently surveyed 1500 Australians to find out how winter weather affected behaviour and the results certainly won't surprise those same people who have been hibernating in front of the heater, borging on pasta and gritty British crime drama. Hypothetically speaking.

Here's the breakdown of the survey, presented in this handy infographic:


What are your tips for beating the winter blues? Do you get SAD during the cold weather? Any plans for a warm weather trip?

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