Are you like me and get the winter blues? I remember when I was in college, I knew not to sign up for the hard classes in Winter quarter. I always did worse in winter. I had less energy, harder to get up in the morning, more anxiety, and just an overall feeling of being overwhelmed. Turns out I was right when I just thought I was “sad”.
Have you heard of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)? For me it is real. I found I was going along through my days and all of a sudden, I would realize I was kind of grumpy, I had no energy, and I was eating more. Eventually, I figured out what I needed to do to feel better. Here’s what works for me.
- I got a SAD lamp. I found it on Amazon and I just put it on my desk so I get at least ½ hour exposure every day. There are a lot of lights on the market so I’m sure you can find one in your budget and that works for you.
- A new thing I’m trying now that I have more time (in retirement) is to spend at least a little time outside. Even if it is cold or raining. This has been a challenge for me because I was working from home and never needed to get out. Now I have to consciously think about it.
- Eating better has helped too. I think it’s a combination of getting better sleep and just feeling better overall. Plus, I am really watching my sugar intake and cutting down on processed food (chemicals).
- I hate to even say this, but exercise works too. Now that I have more time, I am planning to do a regular walking schedule. But even before I could do that, I got a step tracker and challenged myself to do more every day just walking around my house and up and down my stairs.
- Getting out and around people more and avoiding self-isolation. This is a tough one for all of us right now. Thank God for Zoom. That has helped a lot. Social media can be good but it can also keep you in and sedentary so I’m really working for a balance.
- Limit alcohol. Not that I drink a lot but it is easy to have a few glasses of wine at night. I found I was drinking wine just to warm up. The problem for me is two-fold; it makes it more difficult to sleep and it also plays havoc on my digestion. I’m actually liking a hot cup of herbal tea or even a cup of broth at night. Either one works great to warm up, plus I am sleeping better.
So, what causes SAD? I read that the lack of exposure to sun messes with our biological clock and may actually cause a drop in serotonin (brain chemical associated with feeling good). There’s also research that shows the change in the seasons can change our melatonin levels which in turn affects sleep, which again in turn affects our overall mood.
Good luck and I hope this helps anyone that might be having difficulties with this. There’s a lot of information out there so do some research. If it is really causing problems for you, be sure to talk to your medical professional about it.
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