Most of us have had problems at one point or another with Seasonal Affective Disorder - more commonly known as ‘the winter blues’. Just why we suffer from this isn’t always clear. Some scientists say that perhaps at one point our distant ancestors hibernated. Others say it is a conservation method built in so we burned less energy when food was scarcer without actually hibernating. Whatever the reason, the direct cause seems to be directly related to the change in amount and quality of light we are exposed to.
So what can you do about the wintry doldrums?
As with most things, there are a number of possible solutions, and you may have to try several before you find one or more that work for you.
One of the most important is to get enough light. Natural sunlight is best for this; try and get outside more. Perhaps you can sit outside while you read a book or magazine instead of inside. Find a nice cafe with tables outside and sit and peoplewatch, or share some quality time there with some friends. If you have a dog, try actually going out and walking or playing with him or her instead of just letting him out to run in the backyard. This last is also effective for the next idea...
Get some exercise! Do some sit-ups or other basic exercises like that. Perhaps some simple yoga or Pilates would work for you. Go for a nice brisk walk around the neighborhood (which would help with the light, too!) If nothing else, get a small stepping stool and do step-aerobics while watching TV!
Do a check on your dietary supplements. St. John’s Wort, B-vitamins, and 5-htp are all reputed to help with wintertime blues (or any blues, for that matter). A good balanced diet goes hand in hand with this, of course.
If you absolutely cannot seem to work in more daylight, get some full-spectrum or natural-daylight bulbs, and be sure wherever you are is well-lit. Don’t sit in a dark room with just your reading light on... light up the whole room!
One little trick I use to make my body think it isn’t winter is to indulge myself in ‘summer’ foods. Citruses, berries, maybe even a little ice cream now and then, and so forth. Many of these are comfort foods, and uplifting in and of themselves, and we come to associate them with the balmy days of summer... so you can bring a bit of that feeling into the greyness with you, and brighten it up in your mind. Just don’t go overboard, especially with things like ice cream... with decreased energy and therefore probably decreased activity levels, you could easily introduce completely other problems for your state of mind.
One of the things I find helps me the most, however, is finding nice 'homey', warm and bright things you enjoy doing to lift your spirits. Personally, I go on a baking spree when I get the cold-weather downs; it soothes me out of it almost every time. It’s warm, it’s bright (if you have the room well-lit, of course), it’s comforting, it’s enjoyable, and it doesn’t take too much energy.
And of course, one of the greatest wintertime standbys of all time helps here too... hot chocolate. Warm and comforting, with (hopefully!) lots of good memories, and chocolate with all its feel-good properties.
The best advice I can give, however, is to simply find something that makes you feel better. As obvious as this sounds, you have to DO it.
Long considered the 'standard' book on Seasonal Affective Disorder
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