Tips for Managing Seasonal Sadness
Fall and winter can be a dark and moody time, especially here in Michigan. While it’s normal to find your pace slowing down and some of your favorite activities put on hold in the colder months, if you’re noticing that your mood is taking a drop along with the temperature, it’s time to consider seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This diagnosis describes a pattern of depression-type symptoms occurring around the winter months. Even if you are not experiencing full-blown depression, it's pretty common to feel the winter blues. Read on to learn some of our best tips for combating seasonal sadness.
The Happy Light. One leading theory of SAD posits that the lack of sunlight in winter leads to a lack of production of feel-good brain chemicals like Vitamin D, serotonin, and dopamine. Moreover, our body relies on sunlight to regulate our circadian rhythm, or sleep/wake cycle. You can combat this by purchasing a “happy” or “sunlight” lamp and sitting near this lamp for at least 15 minutes every morning. These lamps mimic natural sunlight, help regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, and seem to help alleviate seasonal depression, too.
Movement. Another common root cause of seasonal depression is the lack of exercise that comes with cold temperatures and closed doors. In the summer, it’s easy to enjoy outdoor walks, sports, and activities; in the winter, getting exercise requires more intentional planning. If you can tolerate the cold, taking short walks outside may be the best antidepressant available. Exposure to nature not only boosts mood, improves health, and alleviates stress, it also exposes your body to that all-important winter sunlight we talked about earlier. If outdoor walks aren't an option for you, look into joining a gym or taking some fitness classes. Apps like ClassPass allow you to try many different types of exercise classes for a low price without committing to any one gym.
Stay Connected. In the late winter months, when the holidays are over and social calendars slow, the dark and cold days can drag. Unfortunately, this can lead many people to spending lots of time at home in the winter, disconnected from the people and activities that bring them joy. If you’re feeling the winter blues, try consulting your calendar, reaching out to your friends and family, and researching local events and social resources. Not only does having weekend plans give you something to look forward to, but getting social support is crucial to mental health and wellbeing.
Mind your Sleep. As previously mentioned, the lack of sunlight in winter can lead to sleep disruptions, which in turn can affect your mood. When possible, keep to as regular of a sleep schedule as possible. If you have trouble getting to sleep at night, a happy light or early morning sunlight exposure may help your body realign its circadian rhythm and know when to wind you down for the night.
Seek Therapy. Therapy is often the best way to address and alleviate symptoms of depression. If you know that you tend to feel down in the winter, don’t wait until January to reach out - take a proactive approach and start working with a counselor earlier in the season. Even as a preventative measure, therapy can be a great benefit for managing and overcoming seasonal depression.
We hope these tips give you some ideas for how you can combat seasonal sadness. If your feelings are interfering with your ability to live your everyday life or causing you a lot of pain, it’s time to reach out for professional counseling. Looking for an experienced therapist who knows how brutal a Michigan winter can be? Look no further than AWC here in Shelby Twp.
