When winter arrives, the sun sets earlier, the weather gets colder, and the motivation to do daily tasks diminishes. These yearly patterns and changes that we can not control can take a toll on people’s mental health. Fortunately, there are some things we can do to help prepare, or at least prolong the immediate depression.
One of the main causes of winter depression, according to The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, is from reduced exposure to sunlight and time outdoors, which changes your internal clock. When this happens, it causes a decrease in key brain chemicals such as melatonin, which can lead to tiredness and restlessness. The sun gives us many natural vitamins that our body needs to thrive, like vitamin D. Without it, you can be overtired along with a lack of motivation to do things. While most mammals hibernate in winter, we still have to go to work or continue our normal lives, despite these changes. An important thing to remember is that especially in the northern hemisphere, there are no ways to prevent the season change. Many of the feelings you might have are normal and common.
The winter season has a big impact on mental health and depression. Mrs. Drinkard, a counselor at Berkley High, adds, “We might feel bored with less things to do, and we’re staying inside more often because of the cold weather.” Because of these things people may begin to feel isolated and frustrated in their homes, which can trigger some of those depressive symptoms. Because of the weather getting colder, there are less ways to get outside in the sun for physical activities, or to hangout with friends.
While you may feel tempted to just stay cozy inside and watch a movie, staying social and connected in the winter is just as important as it is in the summer. Drinkard suggests having things to look forward to is very beneficial, even if that means inviting friends over, going to an event, or maybe having a concert to look forward to. You don’t need to fill your calendar with expensive things like big vacations because even small events can help add to your motivation in the cold winter days.
To avoid the cold weather, there are also many things that you can do inside of your own home to help benefit your health. “Doing some yoga, or a YouTube workout or some kind of stretching that engages your body and gets your body moving can be really helpful,” says Mrs. Drinkard. There are countless free online workout resources that make it easy to stay active indoors when going outside isn’t appealing. Your physical activity is a very important aspect of your health.
Along with physical activity and sunlight, making sure your sleep schedule is healthy is also very important. According to Healthline and a study in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience, humans experience longer REM sleep in winter than the summer. Drinkard goes on to say, while winter is a natural time to sleep in and get more rest, sometimes extensive amounts of sleeping can mess up your schedule. Some may come home from work or school, and see that it is already dark outside and may just think to go right to sleep. But, this can leave you waking up in the middle of the night, and then only getting a few hours of sleep before school or work actually starts. To avoid this, try to keep a consistent bedtime. Getting enough rest at night will help you feel energized during the day.
The most important part about winter depression is figuring out how to handle. Though you may not be able to completely avoid the depressive symptoms, there are many ways to decompress. “Get your body moving, and spend time outside,” Mrs. Drinkard suggests. Getting the sun and vitamin D can really help counter the effects of seasonal depression, even if this means a short ten minute walk around the block, or a walk down the driveway. Drinkard states that there is a saying in Norway that there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. Regardless of the weather being cold, there are ways to counteract the coldness and make yourself warmer by bundling up with a coat and gloves in order to be able to meet physical activity and sunlight. Drinkard suggests that doing this can help improve blood sugar control, give you stronger bones and muscles, and reduce your risk of chronic diseases. Despite the cold weather, it’s important to maintain regular physical activity.
Though winter can take a toll on everyone, there are multiple ways to help benefit your health and keep you going until the first day of spring arrives. Taking care of yourself all year round is important, and to know that things can only get better from where they are now.
