Conquering winter blues by Carine Human

July has arrived and we’re halfway through the year already! It’s time to take stock of where we’re at and where we’re heading.

This process can be joyful when goals have been achieved and plans are on track. Or it can be a very despondent time. With winter in full swing, getting yourself out of a rut can be challenging, the ‘winter blues’ are real.

A colloquial expression for feelings of low energy, sadness and diminished motivation, winter blues are often linked to shorter days with less sunlight. They have similar symptoms to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD – an ironically appropriate acronym) but are not exactly the same. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a formal clinical diagnosis directly related to the shortening of daylight hours. It interferes with daily functioning over a substantial period of time and follows a regular pattern. Each year, it appears as seasons change, and goes away months later, during spring and summer.

Similarly, to other forms of depression, SAD can cause a gloomy outlook on life and make one feel hopeless, worthless and irritable. Sufferers lose interest in daily activities, hobbies and time spent with friends or loved ones. They can become withdrawn, have low energy, oversleep and gain weight.

The body’s circadian rhythm (internal clock) responds to cues in your surroundings, especially darkness and light. During the day, your brain sends signals to other body parts to keep you awake and during the night, a chemical called melatonin is produced by the brain which helps you sleep. Diminished daylight hours in winter can alter this natural rhythm and lead to SAD.

Treatment is very effective and may consist of light therapy (sitting in artificial light daily). Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy used to help patients identify negative or self-defeating thoughts they may have. Focus is shifted then to the positive things. In CBT patients are taught to engage in new behaviours when they have negative thoughts or are feeling depressed. Examples may be spending time with friends, going for a walk, adding pleasurable activities to the daily routine. Sometimes a doctor may prescribe anti-depressants as a short-term support during this seasonal challenge.

Other self-care tips include enjoying every bit of natural sunlight, eating nutritious foods (avoid overloading on carbohydrates) and reaching out to friends or professionals if you find yourself really unable to feel better without support.

Know that ‘this too shall pass’. Even if your goals are not quite on par with what you hoped for, re-align yourself, keep going and embrace your own wellbeing holistically. Recharge your goals. Little choices make big dreams come true. Consistency is key.