it’s natural to feel the urge to hibernate as we approach winter—this year more than ever. the cold weather and shorter days can leave anyone wanting to curl up in bed and wait until spring. however, if this urge turns into more and starts to affect your life, it could be something more. something like seasonal affective disorder.
i struggled with seasonal affective disorder long before i knew it had a name. i just thought that my regular depression got upgraded to a festive version in the winter. i could tell that things felt harder in the winter months; they took more energy, it was harder to just be. this was most notably challenging when i was postpartum with my little man. some days it truly felt like the sun may never shine again.
but (spoiler alert), it did shine again. and i did smile again. being aware that it is coming and what it means can make it just a little bit more manageable. i’m excited to share some of my lessons learned and tips on how to cope with seasonal affective disorder in this post. but first, let’s cover the basics.
what is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD (appropriate), seasonal depression, or the winter blues, is a type of depression brought on by the change in seasons. most individuals experience SAD in the fall/winter months, though it is totally possible to be affected in spring/summer. it is super common for those in the northern hemisphere to be affected due to the loooonger, colder winter months (hello, minnesota).
how do you know if you may be dealing with SAD? you may be struggling with any or all of…
feelings of depression that persist all day, every day
having difficulty sleeping (either falling asleep or waking up)
feeling extremely low energy; doing things feel like just “too much work”
increased irritability and more easily agitated
lacking motivation and difficulty concentrating
feelings of hopelessness and disconnection from things and people you once enjoyed
the triggers for SAD are not totally clear, but in the most basic sense it is thought to be a chemical imbalance in the brain caused by reduced exposure to sunlight. (we really don’t give the sun enough credit for all it does!)
factors that come into play and could potentially cause you to experience SAD are:
your biological clock (circadian rhythm). the decreased sunlight in fall in winter may disrupt your body’s internal clock.
reduced serotonin levels. less sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin, the neurotransmitter thought to regulate mood and social behavior.
increased melatonin levels. the change in season can disrupt the balance of the body’s level of melatonin, which plays a role in sleep patterns and mood.
deficits in vitamin d. the body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight on the skin. with less daylight in the winter, it may further hinder serotonin activity.
how to cope
ok, i’m feeling SAD, now what? just hide until May? fear not, friends, there are things you can do to help get you through this time…
find the light. one of the most common methods of treatment is light therapy. since SAD is linked to the lack of sunlight which results in a drop of serotonin, we are left to find other ways to bring light into our life. two ways to address this:
get yourself a light box otherwise known as a “happy lamp.” essentially, they are lights that are around 20x brighter than most indoor lights. i selected mine as my 5 year work anniversary present, otherwise you can find great options on amazon and the like. for a list of ideas, click here. once you have your lamp, sit in front of it every morning for around 30-45 minutes.
keep your house light after it gets dark. many of us are (still) working from home these days. a benefit i get from this is more access to windows than i would in the office, however, once the sun goes down around ~4:00 it gets dark in the house. my husband set up our smart lights so that the entire main floor lights come on before it gets dark, but you could also set a reminder to turn on the main lights around you at a certain time. it’s a small trick to help “trick” your mind that darkness hasn’t fallen outside.
move your body. exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins make you happy. if you have seen legally blonde, you know the rest. it’s easier to get motivated to exercise in the warmer months, the good weather begs for us to be outside! it can be easy to get out of a routine in the winter, especially this year when some forms of exercise you once relied on (gyms, studios, etc.) have not been available. there are a lot of excellent resources you can find on YouTube and Google for at-home workouts; anything to keep you moving will be helpful. we got our peloton at the end of 2019 and it is not an exaggeration to say that i credit my consistent routine with it throughout these past months has been how i have able to cope with this year as well as i have.
get fresh air. yes, even when it’s COLD out. getting outside and breathing in fresh air can help increase your mood as well as regulate your circadian rhythm. in addition, you’ll help get some vitamin d, even when it is overcast, your body will absorb some of those rays. especially here in minnesota we tend to hibernate when winter hits. in the spring, summer and fall we spend every minute we can outdoors. now, it’s dark out by the time we get home from daycare pick-up. i’ve recently been able to get some mid-day walks in with a neighbor which has definitely helped as an afternoon mood-booster. take advantage of those work from home perks if you can!
seek out connection. this one is critical always, but especially in a year where we are all facing the effects of being disconnected, at least physically. SAD aside, many are feeling the loss of real human-connection. while the activities and methods you would normally use to connect with friends are not currently possible, it’s important to find other ways to reach out. i get it, you spend your whole day on zoom, the appeal of joining another one for a HH with friends has lost it’s appeal. but try to find the time, make the time. even if it’s just reaching out via text, messaging through instagram, anything! it’s easy for me to recoil and stay in my own world, but it’s so healing to find connection with others. it is so easy to feel alone and isolated, don’t let yourself become an island. (i speak from experience).
be mindful. in my experience, our minds can be a scary place. when you are already feeling down, getting lost in your own head can cause you to spiral into a dark place. try to keep yourself grounded and present by practicing some form of mindfulness. it doesn’t need to be complicated, i promise. sit in stillness for one minute taking in breaths for four counts and our for four counts. name 5 things you are grateful for. practice yoga or meditation. just a few minutes a day can make a big impact. i’ve started to listen to meditations through the peloton app when i’m starting to feel my anxiety creep in or before i go to sleep to help reset my mind. calm or headspace are two good options to look into!
experiment with one or two of these to see if they help, i really believe they will! but if you still find yourself struggling, please seek out professional assistance; know that you are not alone and there is only bravery in asking for help. i would love to know what tips you found most helpful, or if you have some of your own to share!
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or actions, please get help immediately. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (1-800-273-8255)
