Warming Your Spirit in Cold Days: Maintaining Wellness When the Season Feels Heavy

As the season changes from summer to fall and daylight hours diminish noticeably in the northern hemisphere, some of us experience seemingly inexplicable shifts in our mood, energy, and overall functionality, even when everything in our lives remain constant. If this

pattern persists for two years or more, we may be experiencing seasonable affect disorder (with the apt acronym of SAD).

As humans, our functionality is influenced by external factors such as the amount of daylight and temperature, and some of us are more sensitive than others. When our exposure to sunlight is diminished, our circadian rhythm (day-night cycle) and energy level can be easily disrupted. There are gradations of severity to this condition, and people affected by SAD may experience some, most, or all of the following symptoms, to varying degrees.

Symptoms

• Feeling listless, sad or down most of the day, nearly every day

• Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed

• Having low energy and fatigue, despite sufficient rest

• Having problems with sleeping too much or disrupted sleep, trouble falling asleep

• Experiencing carbohydrate cravings, overeating and noticeable weight gain

• Having difficulty concentrating, staying on task, remembering, making decisions

• Withdrawing from social situations

• Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty

• Having thoughts of not wanting to live

It is helpful to recognize if we suffer from SAD. Once we have identified this pattern, our sense of helpless and dread towards what once were inexplicable and negative changes will likely lower. We can also take steps to ameliorate the daily challenges brought on by SAD. As creatures of habits, our bodies appreciate predictability and consistency. We benefit from maintaining a regular schedule, though it can mean for some individuals more sleep in the fall and winter than in the spring and summer.

During the daytime, despite the shorter daylight hours, exposing ourselves to bright lights (preferably natural light, outdoors) help our brain set a healthy circadian rhythm and can lift our energy level. If inclement weather is a reality, bright indoor lighting is the next best thing. Investing in proper attire for cool and wetter weather can make venturing outdoors a less daunting activity. One thing psychotherapists often recommend to elderlies with SAD is to walk around in a bright mall for half an hour or so if the weather is not encouraging for outdoor activities. Moving our workspace closer to a window may be another option. For people with more severe SAD, sitting in front of a light therapy box, which emits specific light frequencies mimicking sunlight (but without the UV rays) for half an hour in the morning can be very helpful.

Other aspects of healthy lifestyle continue to be important for our mental and physical health, and both are intricately related to one another. The foundational aspects include eating a balanced wholefoods diet (with supplementation if necessary, such as Vitamin D), getting enough physical movement, practicing healthful sleep hygiene, and maintaining positive social connections (including social gatherings, volunteering, community activities).

Practicing self-compassion, the ability to say to ourselves in darker moments, “I see that I am struggling with getting through the day, and it is difficult, but I am doing my best. I know others have their struggles too. It is part of the human condition. I will lean on others if I need to, and that’s okay. I will get through it!” can be helpful, as is giving ourselves permission to reach out to others for support.

Being mindful of your symptoms (which and how severe) is essential. If you notice that the symptoms are numerous and severe, defined as affecting our daily functionality (i.e. difficulties going through the required tasks of work and life), feeling physically unwell to a noticeable extent, and putting us in an emotionally dark space (hopelessness, suicidal ideation), we need to reach out to qualified mental health practitioners and medical doctors for support. There are various psychotherapeutic treatments that can be helpful in addition to the above lifestyle recommendations, including mindfulness, logotherapy, and CBT. In some cases, medications such as serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and antidepressant may be recommended.

While SAD can plague some of us in the cooler, darker months, there are numerous practices we can put in place to move through this time with greater mental and physical health. The bonus is that if we do practice such healthful living, we also improve our mental and physical health across the board and allow us to engage with life with greater meaning and richness.