The Winter Blues
We have all had those days, where its cold out, the sun has started to go down at 3:30 in the afternoon all because we wanted that extra hour of sleep when we changed the clocks back. Now all you feel like doing is going back to bed so you can finish re-watching the final season of Gossip Girl on Netflix, wishing that you could be Serena, or at least own her closet. It is okay if you feel this way once in a while, we all could use a little rest and relaxation from time to time, but when this starts to happen often, even on a daily basis, there could be something wrong.
If you notice yourself feeling down, insecure, hopeless, or even depressed during these winter months, it is possible to be experiencing symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Seasonal affective disorder does not have a definitive cause but has been linked with decreased levels on sun exposure and occurs during the winter time. When you are exposed to the sun, it increases serotonin levels in your brain. Serotonin is a chemical our bodies make that affects our moods. Decreased levels of serotonin can lead to depression. Another brain chemical called melatonin can be disrupted by the change in the seasons and an imbalance can cause changes in sleep patterns and affect our moods. All of these chemical imbalances in the brain can be caused by lack of sunlight in the winter months, and is more common in women and people who live farther north.
If you find yourself feeling depressed then it is important to talk to someone, like your doctor or a therapist. In severe cases of seasonal affective disorder, SAD for short, light therapy can be used to balance out the chemical imbalances in the body. Most people might think to brush off this disorder as just being in a funk and experiencing the “winter blues” but it could be more serious. Symptoms include anxiety, depression, hopelessness, loss of energy, a heavy feeling in the body, over sleeping, social withdrawal, appetite changes, weight gain, loss of interest in favorite activities and difficulty concentrating.
Most people can identify with a few of those symptoms from time to time but experiencing the majority of them all at once is reason to seek help. Don’t be afraid, most campus’s have a mental health facility where there are trained professionals who are there to help make you feel better. If you feel any of these symptoms from time to time, and feel them more in the wintertime, you might be having a case of the winter blues. There are many ways to cure them, or aid in reliving some of the symptoms, a few include;
1.Talk to someone, a close friend, a relative or even a medical professional. Finding someone who can listen to you without interrupting or making it about them can help you just get everything you are feeling out in the open.
2. Get regular exercise. Exercising creates endorphins and can relieve stress and anxiety, which is a symptom of SAD. Exercising can boost your confidence about yourself as well because looking good can make you feel good.
3. Get outside! There’s no better cure for the winter blues than a good walk in the sunlight, even if it is cold. Being in a sunny place and outside moving around with friends is a great mood booster. Go walk horsebarn hill at Uconn, check out the view or if there is snow, steal some dining hall trays and use them as sleds!
We all need a little boost of energy during the winter, and most people might experience some form of SAD at some point in their lives. Since it is more common in women, band together with your friends, help keep each other’s spirits up now that it is dark all the time and finals are just around the corner. (YIKES!) Now is a great time to start paying attention to your emotions and feelings so not to let them get all bottled up. Finding what works for you is important and it is different for everyone. Maybe all you need to beat those winter blues are those cute pair of fall booties you have been eyeing for weeks now. Maybe they will give you just the motivation you need. Keep in mind that just an hour of shopping can burn up to 175 calories. What a perfect excuse to spend hours shopping on Black Friday!