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Managing the Winter Blues

Rehab Therapy Team — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:09:17 +0000

It hits around the same time every year. The buzz of the holiday season is behind us, the days are shorter, the weather colder, and many people start to experience changes in their mood, behavior, and overall demeanor. These symptoms are usually associated with the “winter blues” and may be an actual medical condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

According to the May Clinic, SAD is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. Most people with seasonal affective disorder have symptoms that start in the fall and may continue into the winter months. It can sap your energy and make you feel moody. Less often, seasonal affective disorder causes depression in the spring or early summer.

There are many ways you can prevent or decrease the severity of your symptoms so you can continue to enjoy yourself even through the bitter cold of winter.

Stay hydrated.
Eat healthy.
Keep active and aim to do some form of physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day.
Expose yourself to as much natural light as possible.
Get out of the house and enjoy time with family and friends.
Make the best of the winter weather by participating in activities for the season (sledding, hockey, snoe shoeing, etc).
Participate in light therapy. Sit a few feet from a specialized light therapy box so that you’re exposed to bright light. Light therapy mimics outdoor light.

Source: Mayo Clinic

Beating the Winter Blues

Imaging Team — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 22:39:05 +0000

The days are finally getting a little longer, but the last bit of winter is holding on! Last week, 49 of the 50 states had measurable snow on the ground. Some days it seems like it will never warm up again. With many states having record snow fall and low temperatures, it’s not uncommon for the winter blues to set in. These tips, which I found on Wikihow, will help you fight those winter blues:

Have your bedroom light turn on a half hour before your alarm clock. Plugging a bright, fluorescent lamp into a timer and having it turn on before you are supposed to get up will help simulate an artificial dawn.
Get up early, open the curtains or go outside. Maximize your exposure to sunlight.
Exercise! One hour of exercise outside can be extremely therapeutic. It will raise your serotonin levels, which tend to get low in the winter.
Control your cravings. Your body tends to crave foods high in carbohydrates when your serotonin levels get low. Don’t let those cravings go straight to your hips!
Take a multivitamin with vitamin D-3 daily. This will help increase your energy level if you are feeling sluggish.
Embrace winter! Take up a winter activity – cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, hockey, sledding, or winter photography. These are all great ways to enjoy winter.

Hopefully soon, the cold and snow will be a distant memory. The end of the long winter is in sight and spring is just around the corner!