HOW TO BEAT THE WINTER BLUES

Short days, long nights, blustery winds, rain, and snow. Is it any wonder that we tend to hibernate in the depths of winter? Curled up on the sofa with a hot cuppa, binge-watching a series and dreaming about the summer holidays. But is this what's causing our winter blues?

THE WINTER BLUES AND SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

We’ve all suffered from the winter blues from time to time. Wishing our days away, feeling down, and struggling to get out of bed in the dark. But some people get it worse than others. The winter blues is a mild form of seasonal affective disorder, aptly known as SAD or seasonal depression. It’s a disorder characterized by feelings of depression during the winter months when the days are shorter.

The winter blues and seasonal affective disorder can have a negative impact on our health and well-being in a number of ways;

·       Low mood

·       Fatigue

·       Difficulty sleeping and oversleeping

·       Concentration problems

·       Changes in appetite, weight gain, cravings for carbs, over-eating

·       Loss of interest in activities

·       Social withdrawal

THE WINTER BLUES AND OUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM

Once the winter blues hit, it can be difficult to beat them until the sun comes back out. This creates a catch-22 situation. The more we withdraw from life and snuggle up indoors, the more we feel the blues.

Our bodies rely on the rhythm of the sun and its sun rays to set our biological clock or circadian rhythm. Even when we can’t see the sun on a cloudy day, the light rays change through the day and send messages to our brains, triggering certain processes in our bodies.

So, in the morning, when we’re exposed to bright light, our cortisol levels increase to where we need them to be, and 12 – 14 hours later, our body knows it's time to produce melatonin, helping us to sleep.

MENTAL HEALTH

But if we’re not getting outdoors, those messages are not reaching our brains. And if our cortisol levels peak later because we’re exposed to artificial bright light, say from a computer, phone, or TV screen (read binge-watching our favorite series), our cortisol levels rise and play havoc with our circadian rhythm.

The problem is our circadian rhythm is what keeps our body running like clockwork and our mental health in check. When we’re out of sync with nature’s rhythm, the winter blues set in, and seasonal affective disorder is just around the corner. Sadly, disrupted circadian rhythms affect every aspect of our health, not just our moods and mental health.

OVERCOMING WINTER DEPRESSION AND THE WINTER BLUES

Research suggests that we spend, on average, 93% of our daily life indoors. I’m willing to bet the winter is responsible for a lot of that time. We’re so used to being comfortable that we’ve kissed goodbye to cold, blustery days and got real friendly with our slippers and blankets.

In Scandinavia, they have a saying, no such thing as bad weather, only badly dressed. And they have very cold and short days in the winter over there. If we want to overcome the winter blues we’ve got to get outside during the day.

Add in some friends, and you’ll double the benefits. Here are a few suggestions; I hope they can entice you to grab a thick sweater, pop on a woolly hat, and soak up those daylight rays to get your circadian rhythm back on track and start enjoying the magic of winter.

·       In autumn, kick around in the autumn leaves

·       Find a café with outdoor seating, blankets, and sheepskins

·       Get into winter sports like ice skating and skiing

·       Walk in the morning with friends

·       Drink your morning coffee in the sun

·       Take up any outdoor sport

·       Enjoy a sunset through the winter trees

·       Be brave and take up cold water swimming

·       Enjoy a beach walk

·       Take a flask of something hot and sit atop a hill

·       Turn your lights down low in the evening

OVERCOMING SAD SYMPTOMS WITH LIGHT THERAPY

There is mounting scientific evidence that suggests light therapy can help you overcome seasonal affective disorder. Using infrared and ultraviolet lights to beat winter depression is a simple, quick fix. You don’t need to muster up any energy or brave the cold, but it might give you the lift you’re looking for to get back outdoors and start seeing your friends again.

Use the infrared lights in the morning and evening to stimulate the sunrise and sunset. And use the ultraviolet lights around mid-day. You only need about 20 minutes of ultraviolet light to start reaping the benefits of light therapy.

If light therapy doesn't work and you are concerned about suffering from depressive symptoms and low energy levels, find a mental health professional who can help you beat the winter blues. Light therapy is just one option, but a mental health professional can help in other ways.

INSIGHT HIGHLIGHT

Beating the winter blues can be fun, so muster up some energy, wrap up warm, and go make a snowman before you lose the opportunity and the spring and summer months roll in. And if you really can't, then get yourself an ultraviolet light box and pop it on your work desk. That should help you muster up a bit of energy to get out there and enjoy the magic of winter.

Thanks for reading, and as always, keep striving for growth and well-being, and never settle for less!

How I Can Help

I hope you found this blog post helpful. If you have any questions or need further guidance, please don't hesitate to reach out. As someone who’s passionate about psychological well-being, I offer services online and face to face. I’m here to support your journey towards becoming the best version of yourself.

Here’s to your well-being, personal growth and success!

Head over to the services section on my website for more information on how we can work together to relieve your winter blues.