Feeling like nothing, tiredness upon waking up, plummeting mood: what if the rain that won’t stop had nothing to do with it? Two psychologists help us to easily find a smile again.
Another week under gray skies. Outside, the rain is falling relentlessly, the days are becoming the same and the winter is starting to get really, really long. Low morale, want to stay in bed and eat chocolate? You are not alone. “Light influences our circadian rhythms, the secretion of melatonin and serotonin. Less brightness often means less energy”reminds us Professor Cyril Tarquinio, professor of clinical psychology. He talks about “transient drop in vitality”. Should we resign ourselves while waiting for the sun to return? No. Here is the key advice from our experts to get through the gray without losing your morale.
Let us be reassured from the outset: for Professor Tarquinio, this drop in vitality is nothing to worry about “provided you don’t give in to it”. Otherwise we risk falling “until seasonal affective disorder”. In reality, “it’s not the rain in itself that depresses us, it’s the interpretation we make of it. If the rain becomes “proof that everything is going wrong”, we fuel a negative cognitive spiral. If it becomes “an opportunity to slow down”, the impact changes radically”adds Professor Charles Martin-Krumm, specialist in positive psychology. To get better, it is a question of demonstrating “cognitive flexibility”, this ability to reformulate a situation to modify its emotional charge. “The way we internally formulate the situation conditions our emotional state”confirms Professor Tarquinio.
Change your perspective, therefore. But not only that. The experts are clear: we must also take action. “Inactivity breeds gloom”recalls Professor Martin-Krumm. “One of the most powerful levers for keeping morale up is movement. Even in the rain. A brisk, well-covered walk stimulates endorphins. Mood often follows behavior.” Add to this valuable advice: light. Professor Tarquinio recommends “Expose yourself to bright light in the morning, open the shutters despite the gray sky, avoid living in permanent darkness. Our brain needs clear signals to maintain its tone.”
As for the little comforting pleasures, you still have to choose them carefully. Professor Martin-Krumm distinguishes between passive pleasures, which “relieves briefly but sometimes maintains guilt”. And active pleasures: “create, cook, call a friend, read a good book”. These latter “nourish the feeling of competence and connection” and sustainably protect morale. Another tool: gratitude. “Identifying three positive elements every day, even modest ones, reorients the mental focus. In the rain, it could be hot coffee, pleasant conversation, the smell of wet earth.”
There remains one point of vigilance. “If the sadness is lasting, is accompanied by sleep problems, a generalized loss of interest or persistent fatigue, it is important to consult. The weather can be a trigger, but it is never the sole cause of a depressive disorder”warns Professor Tarquinio. And for the rest? Professor Martin-Krumm invites us to take a step back: “The rain also waters what grows. Psychologically, it’s the same. Certain slower periods allow invisible maturation.” Finally, let us remember that “the weather is cyclical. Like our internal states. Nothing is fixed”.
Thanks to Professor Cyril Tarquinio and Professor Charles Martin-Krumm, authors of the “Great manual of positive psychology” (ed. Dunod).
