Tips for beating the winter blues

By Patricia Delzell, M.D., Advanced Musculoskeletal Medicine Consultants, Inc.

It is well established that chronic pain is made worse by depression, and the “winter blues” is one the most common forms of depression. Although we cannot do in winter many of the fun, outdoor activities we enjoy in summer, we can change how we think about winter. Here are two ideas:

1. Winter is a much softer and calmer season, so lean into it. Reframe “having” to stay indoors to the fact that you “get” to stay at home. This is precious time you can spend relaxing, recuperating or becoming creative. Play around with your furniture or redecorate. Learn to cook new, delicious recipes or curl up with a blanket and read an epic novel. Sometimes all it takes is a simple mindset shift to change your outlook and make things more manageable.

2. Finding joy in life may be at the core of coping with the winter blues. The more fun the activities you engage in, the more likely you’ll feel more alive. So dedicate time to the things that bring you joy. Because let’s face it, adults tend to take life too seriously. We don’t allow ourselves to truly let loose and be silly. Engaging in activities that bring you joy can help you see past the mundane routines and to-do lists that take over your life. Tap into your inner child and do things that make you feel like a kid again, such as playing games, doing puzzles, painting or building with Legos. Sometimes all we need is a little reward to motivate us to keep going.

Help for Neuropathy
While a boost to our spirit can reduce chronic pain, sometimes more is required. At Advanced MMC, we offer a variety of treatment plans regardless of how long you have been suffering. And if you’ve been diagnosed specifically with neuropathy, our new therapy using a Class IV infrared laser can help alleviate numbness, burning, pain, and other symptoms. New patients are welcome, so let’s find out if this treatment is right for you.

Advanced Musculoskeletal Medicine Consultants’ new offices are at 8401 Chagrin Rd., Suite 20A, in Chagrin Falls. To schedule a chronic pain phone consultation, call 440-557-5011. Visit AdvancedMMC.com for more information, including blogs and videos.