Winter Woes and You
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is still a mystery to scientists who study it. Many things, including brain chemicals, ions in the air and genetics seem to be involved. SAD affects up to 3% of the U.S. population, or about 9 million people, some experts say, and countless others have milder forms of the winter doldrums. You may know the feelings and signs well: you’re tired, anxious or moody. Colder, darker days may make it harder to get out of bed or you may crave sweet, high-carb foods.
All of these symptoms seem to stem from the same cause: a lack of light. Sensitivity to the lack of sunlight from winter's "shorter" days disrupts our internal body clock. The degree of this sensitivity, and resulting winter depression severity, largely stems from some combination of other factors—your geography, genetics and individual brain chemistry.
Is all hope lost? Certainly not. There are a few steps you can take to monitor and treat your winter gloom. One is to get as much sunlight as possible. Getting enough natural sunlight during these months is easier said than done.
If unbearably cold temperatures keep you from taking that brief walk outside every day, try an artificial “sunbox” light with special fluorescent tubes that mimic the sun’s beneficial rays. Timing is also important. 30 minutes of exposure first thing in the morning can help keep your body clock on its springtime cycle during the winter and may lift depressive symptoms.
For those who may already be on a course of antidepressants or actively in therapy, late autumn can be a good time to start paying attention to your moods and medications. Talk to your doctor about your medications and moods around this time of year.
Filling up your social calendar to a degree you’re comfortable with can also help keep your mental health in check. It’s important to stay in and stay healthy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t call up friends or family to chat, have video calls with loved ones or celebrate holidays and events virtually.
And finally, strive to maintain a healthy diet. Resist the urge to overeat by maintaining a diet with enough protein and complex carbohydrates like whole grains and starchy vegetables. Taking a vitamin D supplement may also help alleviate some symptoms.
It can also be helpful to seek relief with a licensed behavioral specialist. Members can get ongoing support for stress, anxiety, depression and more through our telehealth services.
