Comment stimuler votre motivation pendant l'hiver

Pourquoi sommes-nous moins motivés en hiver ?

If you're feeling in a bit of a slump this winter, chances are, you're not the only one. The fact is, we can't always control our motivation levels, as the weather can have an impact.

Dr M M Qadri, a Consultant in Forensic Psychiatry and Medical Psychotherapy, says the right amount of sunlight is crucial for mood and energy.

Serotonin is a hormone that regulates happiness levels. Exposure to sunlight can increase the amount of serotonin released in the brain. This boosts your mood and your concentration, and makes you feel calmer. Low levels of serotonin put you at higher chance of seasonal depression.

La lumière du soleil peut également déclencher la mélatonine, l'hormone qui régule votre rythme de sommeil. Un sommeil interrompu ou irrégulier peut réduire votre niveau d'énergie. Cela signifie qu'il faut faire plus d'efforts pour accomplir de petites tâches.

Comment stimuler votre motivation cet hiver ?

Qadri says the first step to increasing your motivation is being kind to yourself.

"You have to acknowledge that you will not always have high levels of motivation," he explains. "At certain times of the year, your mood will dip, but that's OK. Accepting this can be empowering, as it removes the guilt and shame of not achieving your ordinary levels of activity.

"This sense of awareness will provide lifelong skills to help you navigate difficult periods. Expecting high levels of productivity from yourself 24/7 is neither realistic nor healthy."

Il conseille également d'entreprendre des activités que l'on aime habituellement, et pas nécessairement celles qui sont liées à la productivité. Faire des choses simplement parce qu'elles vous plaisent, plutôt que d'être obsédé par la réalisation d'un objectif, peut stimuler votre sérotonine.

Cela peut également améliorer votre humeur générale et, par conséquent, fournir un regain de motivation bien nécessaire pour d'autres activités. Dans la thérapie cognitivo-comportementale, cette technique est appelée activation comportementale. Il s'agit d'un traitement de la dépression fondé sur des données probantes, qui repose sur l'idée que l'augmentation du niveau d'activité agréable permet de lutter contre la dépression.

Comment pouvez-vous prendre soin de vous pendant l'hiver ?

Qadri stresses the importance of practising self-care during winter and being aware of how your mental health is affected by a change of seasons and environment. You can then choose activities that provide you with some personal benefit.

Avez-vous besoin de vous sentir motivé en permanence ?

Vous avez peut-être été conditionné à être "sur le qui-vive" en permanence. Beaucoup d'entre nous vivent à un rythme effréné et sont soumis à une forte pression pour respecter les délais, sauver les apparences et être toujours bien habillés. Cependant, vous n'aurez pas l'impression de conquérir le monde tous les jours. Se forcer à le faire, au lieu de se reposer ou de prendre du temps lorsque l'on est stressé, peut provoquer un épuisement professionnel.

Qadri says it's completely natural to feel more motivated at certain times, since hormones and mechanisms in the human body respond to changes in the day.

"When you feel less motivated, take a break, do something you enjoy or undertake a more mechanical task which requires less motivation," he suggests. "The key is not to feel guilty or like you are less worthy when you are not motivated. Our worth as people is not determined by our productivity."

Quand faut-il s'inquiéter d'une baisse de moral en hiver ?

While it's normal to have down days, it's also vital you don't just allow yourself to struggle. Persistent low mood could be a sign of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern - however, its symptoms tend to be worse in winter.

If you are struggling to cope with the change in seasons, you should see your doctor. They can assess your mental health and lifestyle habits to offer appropriate treatment. Treatment might include talking therapies and, in more severe cases, antidepressants. Lifestyle changes such as exercising and stress management techniques might be suggested too.

La luminothérapie est un traitement courant de la dépression saisonnière. Il s'agit d'utiliser une boîte à lumière spéciale pour stimuler l'exposition à la lumière du soleil qui, comme mentionné ci-dessus, peut être le catalyseur d'une baisse de l'humeur et de la motivation.

Où trouver un soutien professionnel ?

You shouldn't disregard your mental health, as it is as important as your physical health. Qadri suggests making a doctor's appointment if your low mood isn't going away or decreased motivation affects your daily life.

"When discussing with your doctor the effects of the cold on your mood, they may need to rule out possible physical health conditions," he says. "These include anaemia, vitamin D deficiency or an underactive thyroid condition."

Once a physical health cause has been excluded, your doctor can help with treatment for your low mood. This could include a course of medicine or cognitive behavioural therapy.

Comment se préparer

Qadri also stresses the importance of preparation, especially if you know your mental health is likely to decline as winter approaches.

He considers that it's important to be proactive about the changing of seasons. Weather is difficult to predict in the UK, but it's pretty certain that it will be cold, wet, and dark during winter. Preparing beforehand and making sure you have coping strategies in place for when you're struggling can reduce the impact of low mood.

"In the same way that people employ personal trainers to assist with their physical health, we should also use simple interventions with mental health," Qadri advises. "These can be self-help methods - from doodling to meditating. Or, you might want to explore private therapy.

"On pense à tort qu'il faut être très malade pour mériter un soutien professionnel, mais nous avons tous intérêt à disposer d'un espace sûr pour exprimer nos sentiments sans jugement ni attente".