Musings From the Treehouse

Recently, a friend grabbed me by the arm and exclaimed, “I’m already tired of winter and it’s only January! What are we going to do about this?” While she said this in a mocking tone, I knew she wasn’t entirely joking. And I have to confess to somewhat resonating with her words. I really don’t mind winter – I like snow and normally find winter a beautiful time of year. I love the quietness of walking with my dog in the evenings or watching the sunlight play over the surface of the snow.

I have to say, though, that this year has been a bit more of a challenge with its overabundance of freezing cold temperatures, grey skies and biting winds. And it is no wonder – with its shorter days (and therefore less sunlight in limited daylight hours) – that many of us tend to feel a bit down during the winter months. Ice and snow obviously make it more difficult to get around and we may find ourselves thinking the bears have the right idea in hibernating!

Is it Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

While having the “winter blues” may be expected, for some people, though, the response to winter may be more severe and actually fall under the heading of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD, while a form of depression, differs in that it is characterized by recurring episodes of depressed mood which occur at a specific time of the year. While a small majority of people experience this seasonal depression in the late spring and summer, the majority of those who struggle with SAD do so beginning in the late fall and throughout the winter months. For people who have SAD, these recurrent periods of depression are distinct from their normal, or even more elevated, mood the rest of the year.

The symptoms of SAD can include:

  • Feelings of sadness, moodiness or anxiety
  • Being more irritable
  • Loss of interest in usual enjoyable activities
  • Craving carbohydrates,  including bread and pasta which can, of course, lead to the dreaded weight gain
  • Sleeping more and feeling drowsy or sluggish (which I often refer to as wanting to “hole up”) and experiencing a lack of motivation
  • Difficulty concentrating

It’s important to note that not everyone who feels down in the winter is suffering from SAD. As I mentioned above, it is not uncommon for people to feel a bit blah during the colder winter months. When assessing for SAD as opposed to what we might call “the winter blues,” we look at such factors as the duration and intensity of a person’s depressed mood, as well as the affect it is having on his/her daily life.

What can we do about this?

Paraphrasing my friend’s question from above, there are some actions we can take to alleviate our winter blues or even seasonal affective disorder.

  • Eating right – We hear it all the time and know that getting enough sleep and eating healthy foods is helpful for both our body and our mind. The carb cravings that often feel inherent at this time of year can make healthy food choices more difficult, but each healthy choice that we make is going to be that much more beneficial for us.
  • Exercise – As hard as it can be to get up and move, exercise is a great way to feel better. Recently, on one of the colder, windier mornings I procrastinated going out for my daily walk with my dog. I finally dragged myself out the door (I don’t have to drag him – he loves winter!) and forced my body into motion. And I really did feel so much better when I got home, and the effects of that lasted throughout the day. When it comes to exercise, I remember something one of my aerobics instructors once said – and these are words I often remember and hang onto. She noted, “There are days you work out and feel absolutely wonderful – full of energy and ready to go. Then there are the days you feel like you are slogging through mud. Who knows what’s different from one day to the next? So, on the days you feel good – Enjoy! And the days you’re slogging through mud – do the best that you can because at least you are moving.” During the winter, I tend to have more days that I am slogging, but I tell myself to just keep moving!
  • Light therapy – Due to the shorter days, we often do not get enough sunlight in winter. Light therapy has proven effective for some people with SAD. Make sure you check with your doctor and follow the directions for use, especially if you are on any medications that can cause light sensitivity.
  • Practice Mindfulness – We can be really hard on ourselves with messages such as “I’m so lazy, why can’t I get anything done?” or “I can’t believe I just ate all those cookies. I am such a cow.” We think that we are trying to motivate ourselves with such messages, but no one is inspired by put downs or criticism. We justifiably feel anger when we hear about a bully picking on a child, but have we listened to how we so often talk to ourselves? Mindfulness is the practice of doing just that – listening to, being aware of – our thoughts and emotions in the present moment without judgment or criticism.
  • Therapy and, if needed, medication – For some people with more severe SAD, therapy may be helpful and necessary to help deal with symptoms and medication can add that extra support for some.

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