Winter Wellness: Beating Seasonal Depression

The holiday cheer has faded into memory, the twinkling lights and festive cheer dimming. In this icy aftermath, a subtle chill settles in both the air and our spirits. It’s in this snowy weather that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) casts its shadow. But even as seasonal depression takes hold on many, that does not mean that you must succumb to the cold. January - a time of renewal and reset - is also a time for resilience. With the right strategies, you can brave this chilly terrain and not only survive, but thrive in the heart of winter, finding the beauty beneath the frost. 

What is the difference between “winter blues” and SAD?

The winter blues normally happen every now and then during the winter months. You may experience sadness or a wish to stay at home, but you are overall still able to function. For example, you may cancel social plans because you want to stay home, but you can still do activities you enjoy. You still enjoy life, you just may want to pull back a little. 

Meanwhile, SAD is a more intrusive pattern in which a person loses interest in many areas of their life. You may want to stay home, but you also don’t enjoy the things you normally like to do or may feel you don’t have the energy to do them. You disengage from friends and family, and life overall. 

While some may experience a common case of the “winter blues,” roughly five percent of adults in the US will experience SAD - or seasonal depression (20% of people diagnosed with major depressive disorder will suffer from SAD, as well as 25% of people with bipolar disorder). It is considered a subcategory of major depressive disorder, most often occurring in the fall and winter months and subsiding in the spring. With the longer nights, seasonal depression will rear its head, leading to symptoms such as: 

• Persistent feelings of sadness

• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you would normally enjoy

• Changes in appetite

• Changes in sleep

• Loss of energy

• Slowed thinking and poor concentration

• Increase in activities such as pacing or inability to sit still

• OR slowed movements and speech

• Feeling hopeless, worthless, or guilty

• Thoughts of death or suicides

How to Cope with SAD

Seasonal depression can be tracked on a pretty predictable pattern. Perhaps you notice that you begin to show signs during the chilly nights of November; maybe your symptoms peak in January and begin to get better in late February. Once you understand that once the nights begin to grow longer, seasonal depression will rear its head, it’s easy to implement the care you need to battle it. Self-care is key, because it will be the preventative measures to take to get through the winter. 

• Bright light therapy first thing in the morning is proven to have a dramatic effect in seasonal depression. The idea is to sit in front of a light therapy box for 10-30 minutes in the morning. The light emitted mimics outdoor light that is hard to come by in the winter, and will tell your body to release the appropriate hormones. Light therapy boxes are easy to come by and often inexpensive; it is recommended that you get one that advertises 10,000 lux brightness - equivalent to a bright summer morning. 

• If you are able, make it a priority to get outside, even if it’s only for a short walk. Fresh air and exercise are important in combating SAD. On that topic, be sure to exercise. It doesn’t have to be a hard workout - merely moving your body by walking or stretching will make a difference. 

• Don’t hide away in your home, even though that’s the easiest thing to do in the winter. Getting out and spending time with family and friends will provide a sense of connection and prevent you from isolating yourself. 

• Prioritize the things you enjoy doing, even when it’s hard. If you enjoy playing an instrument but feel that it requires too much energy, set a time for five minutes. At the end of the five minutes, you can stop (but chances are you won’t want to). The hardest part is starting. 

• Add some Vitamin D to your diet. Speak with a doctor or nutritionist about what you should target. The winter months and lack of sunlight are known to cause a Vitamin D deficiency in many. It’s best to begin taking the vitamins a month before you expect your symptoms to pop up so that it has time to get into your system. 
  
  

As the frost of January begins to loosen its grip, remember that the journey to overcome seasonal depression is not a solitary one. Our journey to overcome the winter chill and embrace well-being is a testament to our strength. As we move into the next season, let the lessons learned during these colder months serve as a reminder that, even in difficult times, the potential for warmth and joy always exists.