Beating the Winter Blues
Six ways to improve your mental health
BY ALLISON KRIDLE
1. Schedule a weekly activity
Now is a good time to plan an activity
that is a comforting constant in
your life. “Having a weekly event gives
us something to look forward to and
helps us feel more optimistic about
the future,” according to Astoriabased
psychologist Dr. Jessica Koblenz,
PSYD.
“For example, I do weekly Zoom
meetings with friends. A lot of people
do yoga as a group or participate in
religious services,” Koblenz said.
There are a handful of donationbased
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fitness classes offered virtually
or outdoors at Astoria Park or on
the 31st Avenue open street. Yoga
Agora and Sage Fitness are just a
few of the many fitness studios that
help residents leave the couch and
have an activity to look forward to.
MIND + BODY
While some relish the winter, gladly bundling up against the chill or gazing at the snow with a cup
of cocoa, for others, it is a gloomy time. Even in normal times, the long, dark, chilly days can leave
some feeling hopeless. This year, though, these sunless months mixed with a potential lockdown
could severely affect one’s mental health. Here are six tips to help combat seasonal depression,
backed by mental health experts in western Queens.
Photo via Getty Images Photo courtesy of Evie Hantzopoulos