Hi Bellanana,
These are just suggestions based on my own experience, so just mentioning them in case they are helpful.
In winter I find rather than shutting down and withdrawing in colder, winter weather, going out for walks in the elements can really help something like depression. It can sometimes be hard initiating such activity, but when I do it really does help to exercise and move about outside. For me that is preferably in nature somewhere. I've actually allowed myself to get soaked in the rain and decided to just not worry about it. It can actually be really liberating and refreshing and break through depressive feelings. The exercise as well shifts brain chemistry so I actually feel different at the end of the walk. I will sleep better as well when I do those things.
In summer it is kind of similar. I am fortunate to live near the ocean. I don't swim nearly as much as I should, but when I do I get so much benefit. If I get up reasonably early and swim in the ocean I always feel better for the rest of the day. I may need a nap later, but I still feel more energised and less stressed than if I didn't do that. There is a lot of interest in cold water therapy now and how it can help with anxiety. Brief exposures to cold water initially stress the body, but it is that stress that teaches the autonomic nervous system to calm down and recalibrate afterwards. It is one of the reasons exercise is so good for blood pressure too - that bit of stress to the body through exercising helps to shift the body into how to relax and recalibrate afterwards and can have a restorative effect on blood pressure. I find immersing in the ocean has a transformative effect. It really makes me feel different. A swimming pool can be good too. I find pools not quite as effective as the ocean but still helpful.
So, basically, when I think about it, it is taking some kind of physical action, both in summer and winter, that shifts how I feel. As I say, these are just suggestions. Something different may work for you, but I think anything that can shift your physiological state also impacts brain chemistry which in turn can have positive effects in relation to both anxiety and depression.
All the best,
Eagle Ray
