By Ms. Shourya Gupta
Winter Blues
During the winters, as the days get shorter, many people find themselves feeling sad. This feeling is termed as ‘Winter Blues’. The winter blues are very common, with many of us experiencing a mood shift during the colder, darker days of winter. You might find yourself feeling more lethargic and down overall in those days. These winter blues are also often linked to something specific, such as stressful days, loneliness or reminders of absent loved ones.
Although winter blues might make you feel more unhappy than usual, they typically do not affect your ability to carry out day to day responsibilities and enjoy life . But if your winter blues start disturbing all aspects of your life, from work to personal relationships, you might be experiencing a more severe type of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
SAD is a subtype of Major Depressive Disorder that is characterized by the onset of depression during winter months when there is less natural light. For many people, symptoms usually start in the fall and continue into the winter months. A key feature of SAD is that it follows a regular pattern. It appears each year as the seasons change, and it goes away several months later, usually during spring and summer.
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder may include:
- Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
- Feeling hopeless or worthless
- Having low energy
- Losing interest in activities that were previously enjoyed
- Problems with sleeping
- Changes in weight and appetite
- Feeling agitated
- Having difficulty concentrating
- Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide
Researches have been going around studying the Winter Blues and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) for more than 3 decades. They have learned about possible causes and found treatments that seem to help most people. Still, there is a lot that remains unknown about these winter-related shifts in mood.
Causes of Winter Blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder:
- Changes in biological clock (circadian rhythm)
The reduced sunlight in the winters may cause the winter blues or SAD. This decrease in sunlight may disrupt your body’s internal clock and lead to feelings of sadness. For some people, the lack of sunlight upsets the body’s ability to keep its complex chemistry and biological rhythms in sync, the body does not know when to be active and when to rest anymore.
- Decrease in serotonin levels
A drop in serotonin, a brain chemical that affects mood, may play a major role in the development of winter blues or SAD. Reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin that may trigger these depressive feelings.
- Disruption in melatonin levels
The change in season can disrupt the balance of the body’s level of melatonin, which plays a role in inducing sleep. It is thought that SAD sufferers are affected by shorter daylight hours in the winter. They produce higher melatonin, causing lethargy and symptoms of depression. The melatonin levels remain higher longer into the morning. As a result, you may feel sleepier and lethargic as you start the day.
Ways to cope with the Winter Blues:
1. Exercising regularly
There is a convincing evidence that 30 minutes of exercise at least three time a week is effective against depressive mood. For the winter blues, it is recommended to perform outdoor exercises in the day light, e.g., outdoor yoga, a walk in the morning or afternoon, playing badminton, etc.
Exercising can work as well as antidepressants in fighting mild-to-moderate level depression. Staying active is believed to change the level of the mood-regulating chemical serotonin in the brain. It can also help by providing a pleasant change of situation, and helping you to meet new people.
2. Get some light therapy
Expose yourself to daylight as much as you can. Give yourself every opportunity for daylight, such as spending some time in the sunlight, working near a window, opening all curtains of the house during the day. Lamps that simulate natural light can also help.
3. Take a healthy diet
Intake of a healthy diet during the winter months is extremely important. Winter blues can make you crave sugary foods and carbohydrates such as chocolate, pasta and bread, but do not forget to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains can boost your energy and are vital all year round. Fruits and vegetables of deep green, yellow or orange, like broccoli, spinach, and carrots, etc. have nutrients that promote better mood and total health, so they can be beneficial as well.
4. Check your vitamin D levels
Sunlight is a source of vitamin D, a nutrient linked to sharper thinking and better emotional health. Decrease in Vitamin D levels can also affect your mood, so keep a check on your Vitamin D levels. Take a Vitamin D supplement after consulting with your general physician.
5. Stimulate your senses
Stimulating your senses helps you in uplifting your mood. You can try things like wearing brighter colours, painting your room wall bright, choose soft and snuggly clothing, listening to soothing music, lighting a frangrance candle in your room or workplace, etc.
6. Include things that you enjoy doing in your daily routine
Include the things that comfort you or make you happy in your daily routine. Practice some self care. It can be as small as sipping a cup of coffee, painting something, cooking, spending time in nature, watering plants and playing with a pet.
7. See a therapist if things are getting unmanageable
If you have tried every possible thing to manage your mood and still you are unable to handle it, consider visiting a psychotherapist. A therapist can help you train your brain to think more rationally and can advise you some beneficial behavioural changes, which can make you feel better mentally and physically.
