It’s that time of year when the weather gets colder, the days are shorter, the nights are darker, and staying in just seems like the better choice. With this comes an overwhelming feeling of gloom, tiredness, and maybe even sadness.
If you feel like this, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re one of 10 million Americans who feel this way. The term, Seasonal Affective Disorder (ironically acronymed as S.A.D.), was coined in 1984 by physician Norman Rosenthal, who performed a study that assessed seasonal moods across multiple different geographical latitudes within the United States. He found that one of the main causes of S.A.D is a lack of sunlight, noting that S.A.D was much higher in places such as New Hampshire, where it was almost 10% of the population, versus Florida, which accounted for only 1.5% of the population.
As residents of Connecticut, cold, dark days take up most of the calendar year, ranging mostly from the months of October to March. We’re so ready for warmer days, but in the meantime, here are five solutions we can utilize to help us manage!
- Light Therapy: From phototherapy boxes to infrared saunas, mimicking the feeling of warmth and sunlight can help ease S.A.D. symptoms while also providing a multitude of health benefits. For example, infrared saunas can help with muscle recovery as well as promote better sleep. Just a few minutes a day with light therapy can help brighten mood and offer feelings of hope and optimism simply because of their warmth and natural lighting.
- Vitamin D Supplements: The sun helps our bodies produce vitamin D, but with limited sunlight in the wintertime (not to mention the harm strong UV rays can do), it might be beneficial to incorporate a supplement. Dubbed as the “sunshine vitamin,” Vitamin D can help with our body’s levels of serotonin and dopamine (known as happy hormones) produced in our central nervous system, regulating our moods and decreasing the potential for depression. You might want to also look into sunshine-inspired teas, like this one and this one! As always, we recommend talking to a healthcare professional to make sure what you are taking or looking to take is right for you!
- Vacation: It might just be time to pack a bag and book a ticket to paradise in order to escape the cold. Who’s with us?! While it may not always be a feasible option, getting away to warmer weather is definitely a great way to warm up, remove unnecessary stress, and feel better overall. Taking a much needed vacation, especially during the off season, can be super beneficial in increasing productivity and creativity, preventing heart disease, and boosting mental health. Let’s start writing that O.O.O. message!
- Sunrise Alarm Clocks – Fake it till ya make it, with sunrise alarm clocks! These nifty devices simulate an artificial light source, helping heavy sleepers ease into waking up more refreshed (rather than groggy) as well as provide a more natural hue of light to offer a serotonin boost. Companies like Hatch have a variety of different formats, making finding the right sunrise alarm clock easy and affordable.
- Uplifting Practices: Sometimes all it takes to feel better during the gloomy wintertime is to get moving. Participating in easy, flowing movements such as yoga (hot yoga anyone?!), meditation, stretching, and even creative hobbies like coloring, knitting, cooking/baking, and writing can help get your mind out of your external environments and stay focused on the internal. Practicing meditative exercises can be instrumental in forming a basis of calm and serenity that will trickle into other experiences and situations. Overall, you may find yourself happier, despite cold and dreadful weather conditions.
It’s easy to get lost in this long, dark season, staying in and bunkering under a mound of blankets. If you feel the blues of winter taking over your emotional health, make sure you’re checking in with yourself and doing things that bring you joy! And more importantly, don’t forget to stock up on our tasty snacks. A handful of organic, premium treats always brings a lot of happiness!
