Happy November, y’all! I hope you’ve all been enjoying your fall so far this year. This fall I’m back in the frigid cold north for the first time since 2017. For the last two falls/winters I was in the sunny south enjoying the warmth all year round. I’ve always known I was a warm climate kind of person and that I suffered from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), but it wasn’t until I was actually away from the northern winters that I realized what I could actually feel like in a sunnier climate. Now that I’m back in the north, I’ve already started to feel the effects of SAD; and it’s only November! This year I have made the decision to take care of myself and do what it takes to fight my seasonal depression. I know I’m not the only one who suffers from this, so I wanted to share some of my plans with all of you.
First of all, for as long as I’ve lived in the north I thought everyone knew what SAD was. Turns out, they don’t. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a mood disorder that occurs in people who typically exhibit “normal” mental health most of the year. SAD causes depression symptoms and it most often occurs in the fall and winter months. Also, most of us northerners see the effects more often than southerners. This is because of the changes in sunlight and darkness seen most in the north. As soon as that time change happens we start seeing less and less sunlight. For example, today I will see about 9 hours and 20 minutes of sunlight. On the shortest day of the year I will only see 8 hours and 30 minutes. This gets worse the further north you go. The sun goes down before 6 pm. This makes our circadian rhythms go crazy. It feels like bedtime before it’s even 8 at night. Funny enough, one of the symptoms of SAD is sleeping too much. Why wouldn’t we sleep too much when we ALWAYS have darkness? This messes up our circadian rhythms causing SAD.
Another cause of SAD is reduced levels of serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical in our brains that affects our moods. A reduction in serotonin can reduce our moods, make us feel more negative emotions, and trigger depression. Guess what causes this reduction of serotonin. Lack of sun! So that’s two causes of SAD that are caused by the sun. Another cause of SAD is a disruption of melatonin levels. Melatonin is another chemical our body uses to help us sleep and regulate our moods. Well, we’ve gotten our circadian rhythm disrupted by sleeping too much which then affects the amount of melatonin our bodies produce. This can cause us to have our sleep disrupted and to have poopy, depressed moods. And again, we have the lack of sun to thank. That pesky star.
So, how do we fight SAD? There are professional treatments you can get if you are diagnosed with having SAD by a psychologist. That can include psychotherapy and medications. Both of those can be beneficial treatments if you suffer greatly. Another treatment is light therapy (phototherapy). You can buy light therapy boxes without a prescription, but I would highly suggest talking to a psychologist before purchasing one. They come in a variety of intensities, and a professional can help you figure out a schedule and amount that would benefit you best. The gist of light therapy is you sitting by a lamp that acts as the sun would, allowing your body to produce the chemicals it needs to feel less depressed. It may not be a fix all, but they can definitely help.
Some preventative techniques I would highly suggest are as follows. My biggest suggestion to you, and to myself, is to get outside! This is the toughest one for me. I know it’s freezing cold out there and that the air hurts your face, but bundle up and enjoy a nice leisurely stroll around town. Once you start walking you’ll warm up anyways! Eat lunch in the park, sit on a bench outside your work, go find a place to get away to on the weekend; just do something. Even on cloudy days, go outside. Any amount of outdoor light helps. Get a double punch of happy juice by exercising outside. Exercising is a great way to get endorphins running through your body and help you feel better. Plus, it can help clear your mind. I’m always a fan of yoga, bonus points if it’s HOT yoga! Get your mind and body connected. Manifest gratitude during a meditation session. There are definitely things we can be grateful for, even in the cold, winter months. Get those happy, cozy, grateful feelings of Thanksgiving and Christmas by sitting by a fire with fuzzy socks, a blanket, and a yummy cup of hot cocoa. Do it, even if it’s February and the holidays are already past. If we change our mind set about winter, we can actually enjoy it. This is what I’m working on at the moment. I’m consciously making the decision every time I step outside to be grateful for something about the day, the season, or the people I get to spend my time with. Yesterday, I went to the zoo. Yes, there was snow, and yes, it was below freezing temperatures; I still had fun! 🙂
So, I challenge all of you to change your thinking, be more grateful, and get outside. Find something that helps you combat that icky depressed feeling of winter.
FTP: 1. Sunday and Monday I got to spend time with my best friend. She and I went shopping, watched movies, ate lots of food, visited with another friend of ours, and went to the zoo. I’m so grateful for the time she and I get to spend together. 2. I took my dog to doggy daycare yesterday for 3 hours of fitness time. She loved it, it wore her out, and she did great playing with the other dogs! It’s great that there are places like that here, and I am thankful for the staff that takes such good care of my pup. 3. I found a new office space to work in. I’ve been just freelancing around to mostly coffee shops and libraries for the last few months, so it’s really great that there’s a collaboration office space in my city. Whoever thought of this place was a genius!
Please remember to find the positive today! Feel free to share in the comments or write it down in a journal. As always, if you ever need to chat please email me! Stay grateful! 🙂
AT CHOICE 