Feeling Blue this winter?
Are you feeling blue this winter?
It can be easy to feel down in the dumps during the winter months. With shorter days and colder weather, staying motivated is not always easy. However, if you feel significantly discouraged and unmotivated during this time, you may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Let’s look at what SAD is and how you can cope with its symptoms.
What is SAD?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs during the same season each year. It usually begins in late fall or early winter and goes away as spring approaches. While people who suffer from depression year round are more likely to experience SAD than those who don't struggle with depression all year, anyone can suffer from SAD regardless of their mental health history.
The symptoms of SAD are similar to the symptoms of other forms of depression. Still, they may include a few additional ones, like a lack of energy or concentration levels, increased sleep patterns, and cravings for carbohydrates or sweet foods. Other common signs include feeling hopeless or worthless, trouble sleeping, irritability, or agitation.
If you think that you may have seasonal affective disorder, there are many ways to cope with its symptoms, such as getting outside as much as possible when the sun is out; participating in activities like yoga or meditation; exercising regularly; eating healthy meals; talking to someone about your feelings, and getting enough sleep every night. Additionally, it has been shown that supplementing with Vitamin D patches is effective at reducing some symptoms associated with SAD.
Seasonal affective disorder can make it difficult to enjoy the winter months due to its pervasive symptoms like fatigue, low moods, and difficulty concentrating. However, by understanding what SAD is and how it affects us, we can better equip ourselves with strategies for coping with its effects on our mental well-being during these colder months. Try taking long walks outside, supplementing with Vitamin D whenever possible and incorporating activities such as yoga into your day-to-day life to help reduce the severity of your symptoms while also helping you manage stressors that might otherwise contribute to your condition worsening over time. Above all else, remember that support networks exist for individuals struggling with seasonal affective disorder, so don’t hesitate to reach out if needed!
In Health,
Shane Griffin