Many of us find ourselves suffering from the ‘winter blues’ around this time of year. It’s dark, it’s cold, the weather is usually pretty miserable, and even on those glorious, crisp sunny days, you can still find yourself feeling down. If that’s the case, then you might be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
What is SAD?
It is a condition that is thought to affect over 2 million people in the UK, and SAD can be a really lonely and miserable experience. You may not suffer from depression the rest of the year and then it suddenly hits you when the weather turns gloomy. The symptoms often include sleeplessness, tiredness, emotional eating, feeling down and irritability, all linked to the season. Then there are the long winter months afterwards to contend with, and nobody looks forward to that.
How can you combat the disorder?
As with any psychological condition, there are things you can do to fight back against SAD. Certain lifestyle changes can make a big difference to the way you feel, helping relieve the condition and lessen the symptoms. The first is to keep active, even if you don’t feel like it. Try to get out for a walk at midday, when the sun is at its highest, and soak up as much natural light as you can.
When you’re indoors, try and sit near windows for an extra dose of sunlight, and make sure you keep warm because research has shown that being cold can worsen depression.
If you think you are suffering from SAD and are finding daily life difficult, then seek help from your GP or a psychologist. Therapy can help you talk through the issues affecting you and find the positives over the dark winter months.
