9 Practitioner Tips for Low Mood & SAD

Dylan’s Tips for Low Mood and Seasonal Affective Disorder

Take time to have a cup of herbal tea:

We are all living with mild chronic stress, however as time goes on this can start to wear us out and leave us more susceptible to feeling low moods, add dark days and cold weather on top of that and life can be tough to tackle.

Making a herbal tea is a great way to step away from the world for five minutes, turn it into a ritual and sit quietly and allow yourself to rest and calm yourself.

Try taking herbs such as lavender, lemon balm, chamomile, lime blossom, rose, holy basil and passionflower in tea form to help to calm the nerves and allow you to go more slowly…A reset period.

Nourish your nervous system and gut with food:

You cannot have a healthy and happy body if you do not give it enough fuel for it to run efficiently!

You can include foods into your diet which are beneficial for maintaining healthy nerves and supporting your nervous system, which can contribute to mood balance, better memory and concentration and even energy. This includes leafy greens, oily fish, porridge oats, seeds, nuts, dark chocolate and avocados!

Whilst food to nourish your gut can be pickled and fermented foods, such as kimchi and sauerkraut. Bone broths and stews can help warm and nourish your tum! Whilst kefir and berries are also great too!

Go outside for a walk and see daylight – no matter the weather!

Going for a walk outside is a great way to exercise and reset your sleep wake cycle! Being exposed to sunlight (even poor natural light) and exercise has been shown to release feel good chemicals in the body, whilst helping to get rid of adrenaline and other stress and low mood contributing chemicals! Go for a walk even if it is for five minutes….

Take time to see family and friends!

We are quite sociable creatures really, although sometimes we pretend we are not. Being with people you love and who make you feel seen, heard and happy, massively raises our mood and wellbeing.

Perhaps try and meet some friends for a coffee? Or pop round to see your parents or siblings and have a movie evening? Or join a social group or class where you could meet more people, such as a rambling group, yoga class, swim team or anything at all!

Sonia’s 5 Simple Ways to Support Low Mood in Winter

• Get outside first thing – Even on cloudy days, morning light helps reset your body clock and boost mood.
• Balance your blood sugar – Start your day with protein, good fats and fibre (think eggs on sourdough) to avoid energy dips.
• Move gently every day – A short walk, some stretching or dancing can release mood-lifting chemicals.
• Try a natural mood blend – Herbs like lemon balm, saffron and rhodiola (found in Hello Bliss) gently support emotional resilience.
• Use scent and subtle supports – Diffuse essential oils, try homeopathy or flower essences to help shift emotional heaviness.

You don’t need to push through the winter months. Small, kind actions can change how you feel.