More Than Just the Winter Blues? Seasonal Depression is a Real Thing

Cheers to the time of year where darkness overrides the blue sky and the chill air makes it hard to be outside longer than five minutes. Days are shorter and the lack of sunhshine and warmth causes individuals to hibernate in their home. Living in a cold area can put a drag on your normal daily routines as well as excerise and eating healthier due to fresh fruits and vegtables not being an easier source to obtain throughout the fall and winter months. As winter comes slowly to an end, I have started to see a change in the movements around the university. More people are walking around, showing up to class, having more energy, etc. This made me really look into if seasonal depression is really a thing, or do people just use it as an excuse? 

After multiple trusted sources described to me the facts, I have come to conclusion that seasonal depression really is a thing, and in fact it has a name, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). My first thought was what are the odds the short name for this condition is SAD, crazy right? Seasonal Affective Disorder can be described as depression that occurs with the seasons. This form of depression occurs annualy around the same time, and in most causes it occurs in the midst of winter (yes, I am looking at you January and February). Common symptoms of SAD are loss of energy, social isolation, weight gain, oversleeping, and mood swings. The most common age that SAD takes full effect is between the ages of 18-25. 

After realizing that the winter blues are more serious than I thought, I started to wonder if there are any ways to reduce SAD triggers in the winter. A lot of universities are now offering Light Boxes to students. These products supplement actual daylight exposure for a set amount of time. This allows you to be exposed to sunlight in the winter months and help with the lack of sunlight. Since the days are shorters in the winter months, people tend to oversleep and are more prone to laziness. I found this tip to be really interesting; Sticking to schedule ensures your cardiac ryhtms will stay balanced. These are essential for your body’s internal clock. These 24-hour rythms respond to to light and darkeness which affects you physcally, mentally, and behaviorally. By keeping a balanced schedule throughout the winter months, allows your body to not get so off track and will help your body feel fresh and balanced. 

Althought winter is happily coming to an end, SAD can occur in any season. Your mental health should always be a main priority, so knowing how to manage certain feelings during certain months is important. Just know whenever you feel stuck or your mood is affected by the weather that the feeling will pass and brighter days are ahead. Maintain a postive attitude and speak kindly to yourself. There is a quote that goes something like you are the only one who can hear your thoughts, so speak kindly to yourself. Winter already sucks, so dont make it worse by letting it impact your mental health. 

• her campus
• mental health
• sad
• Seasonal Depression