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Winter blues
Lots of people experience low mood at this time of year - and for good reason. It’s windy, wet and freezing cold, and you probably spend more time huddled next to a heater than doing anything else! For some it’s a case of the winter blues - for others it can be something a little more serious.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is, according to Wikipedia, a “mood disorder where people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter year after year.” People can also experience it during other seasons, although it is a lot less common.
There’s more to SAD than ‘feeling a bit low’, but being aware of your moods when it’s gloomy out can help you avoid becoming more deeply depressed.
Symptoms of SAD include:
- hopelessness
- anxiety
- lethargy
- irritability
- weight gain
- loss of interest in activities you typically enjoy
The above can also be signs of a deeper depression. It’s really important (and a lot easier than you’d think!), to seek help if you’re depressed or have any other kind of mental illness. Mentalhealth.org.nz is a great place to start.
In the old days life wasn’t as crazy, and we didn’t have the bright artificial light of laptops, iPhones and TV to interrupt our bodies’ natural rhythms. Now, we have to keep up and keep going - no matter what the weather’s doing or what time it is! If you’re feeling low, exhaustion may be part of the problem. Check out this article for more on why it’s important to relax and the affect of light on our body clock.
Feeling low but don’t think it’s SAD? Keep the winter blues at bay with these hot tips.
Let the light in! Sunlight is a natural upper and essential for the production of Vitamin D, so it’s important to soak up as much as you can in winter.
Eat well. It’s so important to maintain a balanced diet that provides the nutrition your body needs to both handle the cold and feel satisfied.
Exercise! It’s easy not to when it’s miserable out, but a run in the rain never hurt anyone! There are heaps of indoor sports leagues out there too.
Enjoy it while it lasts! Learn how to ski, snowboard or make a killer hot chocolate. Throw yourself into winter and you’ll miss it when it’s gone!
Stay connected. Hanging out with friends and family is really important, especially if you tend to isolate yourself. Even short interactions like phone calls are good for the soul!
Don’t forget - if your depression is serious, it’s important to get help. These websites have some great advice..
Youthline.co.nz or call 0800 37 66 33 free to talk to a counsellor.
Article by Sarah Illingworth. Who is Sarah? Find out here and meet the rest of the 24/7 Girl team too. And don’t forget to check out Sarah’s blog here!
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i always tend to fall into bad eating habits in winter, i always opt for anything hot which leaves fruit second best Posted by POWERBALLIN25 "on" 08/13 "at"01:08 AM |
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Never called youthline, has anyone tried it and did it really help them? Posted by Xxc0rtxX "on" 08/12 "at"03:56 PM |
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My mum suffers really bad during the winter. she gets real depressed every year. Posted by tkennard "on" 08/10 "at"05:56 PM |
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I love the sunlight Posted by Impy "on" 08/09 "at"09:16 PM |
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my dad always says this Let the light in! Sunlight is a natural upper and essential for the production of Vitamin D, so it’s important to soak up as much as you can in winter. maybe i will try it? =) Posted by Xxc0rtxX "on" 08/08 "at"09:10 PM |
Best of the rest
I <3 winter!