Ho Ho Ho Hum. The Winter Blahs

Ho Ho Ho Hum

Hello again.  I hope you all had a very pleasant and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday and have recuperated from the food coma that usually follows such a bountiful feast.  Now that the holiday and shopping season is in full swing, I thought this would be an opportune time to discuss a topic with which I am personally acquainted, as are many other folks who mourn the absence of the sun and outdoors this time of year.   As we head into the winter months, some may find the intense urge to hibernate, and lose interest in things they normally enjoy.  This feeling can often be felt more profoundly after the frenzied energy of the holiday season has subsided.  Some may call it “the winter blahs.”  Clinicians often refer to it as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD for short.  Whatever you want to call it, in varying degrees of severity, it is a real phenomenon that has been studied and researched extensively.    

Chalk it up to evolution  
You could think of the winter blah’s as a throwback to the earlier days in our evolution that required us to expend less physical energy and conserve more during the winter months as the food supply was less plentiful during this time.  During these months, our ancestors pretty much went into hibernation mode to survive through the cold months of the year.  I believe that many individuals are more susceptible to SAD simply because it is a part of their biology.  While this is only my opinion, the science behind the lack of sun or light exposure and the effects it has on the body is significant.


Possible Causes.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are three factors that are largely believed to play a key role in SAD.  One is the change in your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s internal clock that lets you know when it is time to rest and when to be active.  The regulation of your circadian rhythm  is largely dependent on external cues, such as daylight and darkness..  The 2nd is the neurochemical transmitter Serotonin, which has been researched extensively in its relationship to a person’s mood and has been shown to drop to lower levels with decreased exposure to sunlight.  The 3rd is the hormone Melatonin which has also been shown to play a role in sleep, and by extension, a person’s mood.  Many doctors prescribe Melatonin for their patients who have problems sleeping. If a person doesn’t get enough sleep this has a profound impact on mood.  The common denominator to all of these factors is one thing, less exposure to sunlight.  This can impact all three of these areas in a dramatic way, all working together to influence a person’s mood.


Who is at risk?
Those individuals who find themselves living further from the equator and exposed to less sunlight during the colder months of the year are certainly at greater risk.  Women also tend to be more susceptible to SAD than men.  Younger individuals tend to be at greater risk as well.  While research has identified these individuals as being more at risk, the “why” is less well known.  Certainly those already experiencing a mood disorder, such as clinical depression or Bipolar Disorder, are more susceptible to the effects of SAD.   



What to look for.
If you believe you may be experiencing the effects of the Winter Blah's or to a more significant degree, Seasonal Affective Disorder, look for the following: 

• Lethargy or decreased energy level corresponding to seasonal changes
  
  
• Depressed or irritable mood.
  
  
• Disrupted sleep or increased need for sleep
  
  
• Diminished interest in the things you normally like to do
  
  
• Change in appetite, including increased craving for carbohydrates and weight gain
  
  
• Predominantly cynical or negative thinking
  
  
• Difficulty concentrating
  
  
• Strain in interpersonal relationships
  
  
• Increase in feelings of loneliness and sensitivity to perceived rejection
  
  
• Symptoms increase in late Fall and Winter and abate in early Spring, (usually late Feb or March.) 
  
  

How to manage seasonal mood changes.  

• Plan ahead.  If you have found yourself experiencing symptoms such as these in past Winters, you might want to plan some organized activities or even a vacation in a warmer sunnier climate in the dead of Winter.  Getting started is the hard part.  Make a commitment to yourself and design a plan of action.   

• Increase your exposure to light.  Prevailing opinions suggest that at least 20 minutes per day is sufficient to offset the symptoms of SAD.  An alternative is to invest in a “light box” or other form of artificial light therapy that has been show to have beneficial results.  Here's an idea!   Make it a point to try to enjoy a sunrise or sunset as much as possible.  Open the curtains.  Turn on the lights.  Ever notice your cat or dog laying in that patch of sun?  They may know something you don’t.  
  
  
• Melatonin.   Consult your physician about Melatonin supplements if you find your sleep patterns disrupted during the winter months.  Melatonin has been shown in some studies to have positive effects on the quality of one’s sleep.
  
  
• Resist the urge to hibernate.   Bundle up and go outside for short walks.  Join a fitness club and use it.  Join an aerobics or yoga class.  Keep your metabolism going.  Push through the urge to join the sleeping bears this time of year and stay active.  You’ll be glad you did in the end.  Oh, and if there’s snow outside, my thinking is you are never too old to go out and play in it.  Go invest in a snow board or sled.  
  
  
• Seek out certain foods, resist others.  Seek out fruits and vegetables and maintain a sufficient level of protein in your diet.  Resist rich sugary foods and eat carbohydrates in moderation.  Foods high in carbohydrates tend to make us feel more sluggish an hour or more after we eat them due to increased insulin production to process all of that sugar.  
  
  
• Practice Gratitude.    For two minutes every day, concentrate and think of those people and things in life for which are most thankful.  Nothing chases away negative thinking better than filling your brain with the things in life toward which you feel the most positive and appreciative.  
  
  
• Exercise Healthy Choices.   Healthy choices equals improved mood.  Read my blog  on Ten Things You Can Do to Maintain Good Mental Health which has several ideas on how to make positive choices for yourself that can improve your mood.   
  
  
• Take a Break from the TV.    Ever notice that after spending hours in front of the TV you feel more tired than you did before you sat down?  I’m not against taking in your favorite show or movie.  But look, all things in moderation, right?  Unplug and enjoy some family or friend time.  
  
  
• Socialize.  Speaking of family and friend time, take a little extra effort to reach out to those you care about or someone you haven’t spoken to in some time.  It can be just what the doctor ordered and it can feel really good to connect or reconnect, whatever the situation may be.  Volunteering can be a great opportunity to increase your social exposure as well as enrich yourself with positive feelings that often accompany selfless acts of helping others.  
  
  
• Organize and Plan for Spring.   Declutter the house.  Yes, I mean clean.  You will better for it and enjoy a sense of accomplishment.  Plan for your Spring Gardening.  Memories associated with Springtime can easily be triggered by thinking about and planning those outdoor projects you enjoy during the warmer months.  
  
  
• Expose Yourself to Memories of Warmer Months.   Go through old photos of friends and family during the Spring and Summer.  It will be a nice distraction from the gloomy gray day outside and guide your thinking away from gloomier thoughts.  See some nice sunny pictures in your collection?  Blow it up and hang it on the wall.  Create an indoor Summer in your home.  
  
  
• Cuddle Time.  Nothing brings out the warm fuzzies better than having physical contact with the ones we love.  Children, family, close friends.  Offer a hug, get a hug.  Help brighten someone else's day and improve your own as well.
  
  
• Treat Yourself.   If nothing else, give yourself a special treat, or treats.  Make your favorite homemade soup.  Light some candles, maybe a lot of candles, also giving yourself some light therapy in the process. Take a nice long aromatherapy bath with your favorite bath salts or soap.  Get yourself a therapeutic massage.  Create an uplifting fast-tempo playlist of some of your favorite music.  Take a trip to the museum, zoo, aquarium, or other favorite spot.   Finish a project you have started or start a new one.  
  
  

These suggestions are not meant to be exhaustive but will hopefully give the reader some ideas that will empower them to realize that you don’t just have to accept the winter doldrums and eek through Winter.  For those who dread the Winter months, there are things that can be done to make this time of year much more tolerable, and even enjoyable.  However, that being said, if you find that what you are trying is not working, it may be time to seek additional help with a trained professional.  


Best wishes to you and Happy Holidays!