Grey Skies, Real Feelings: A Guide to Wintering Well
When I first moved to Michigan from Florida, I was obsessed with winter…for about one week.
Then I started to ask myself, “Where’s the sun?”, “You still go to work when it snows?”, “When does it end?!”, and then the agony settled in. Since then, I’ve survived 6 winters with this being my seventh, and still, the questions remain. Sometimes, after a moment of relief when the sun appears in April, a sensation of dread looms, as with Spring comes Summer comes Fall comes Winter…again. As the years have progressed I’ve come familiar with Fools Spring, Second Winter, and yes, Third Winter. And each year, while the dread remains, my mindset has slowly begun to shift, using winter as an opportunity to turn within instead of isolating. I think about the natural rhythm of the seasons and how each calls for something from us, and how winter can be our own form of hibernation, allowing us to expand internally and nourish our souls instead of holding on to hope that April comes a bit quicker this year (news flash: It wont.). While this idea sounds lovely, there is a reality that makes it tricky for us: Seasonal Depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder (who’s literal acronym is SAD), affects about 10 million people year round. While we occasionally see SAD in summer months, people are most widely affected in the months of December, January, and February. There are typically less than 30 days of sun in Michigan in those three months combined…yes, combined. And it’s not the good sun either; it’s sun that maybe peeks through the grey skies, fools you into coming outside, only to realize that it’s still a cozy 20 degrees out.
All jokes aside, SAD is hard, persistent, and takes a deep toll on the mental wellbeing of people yearly. It’s typically characterized by feelings of sadness, loss of energy and motivation, loss of interest in daily activities, feeling lethargic or sluggish, and physiological changes such as sleep, appetite, and sex drive. In order to begin shifting mindset surrounding Winter, we have to ensure basic needs are met. Now more than ever is the time to hone in on diet, increasing foods that support mood and considering supplements that are proven to be effective in treating SAD: Vitamin D; Omega-3’s; Probiotics; and Zinc. Most of these can be covered through a daily Multivitamin. If considering supplementation, talk to your doctor about running a blood panel to see where your levels are at.
Additionally, fight the urge to isolate. While the holidays naturally bring us together, January and February tend to be the hardest months to gather and connect. Hold yourself accountable through reoccurring coffee dates with friends, dinner with your partner, or weekly workout class. If you work from home, find a way to work in a coffee shop one day a week, even if you’re not meeting anyone there. Sometimes changing scenery and simply being around others can support social and emotional needs. For the days that you are at home, consider starting your day with light therapy. Light therapy is another effective treatment for SAD, as it essentially helps make up for the lack of sun received during the day, ultimately supporting your circadian rhythm. They vary in price, but most people report positive effects from light boxes as low as $30.
Simply put, treatment for SAD revolves around lifestyle, supplementation, potential need for medication, and psychotherapy. To shift mindset, turn within, and accept what is, the support of a therapist can go a long way. While working with someone you trust you can explore the depths of your inner potential, meet emotional needs, challenge intrusive and unhelpful thoughts and find that April does in fact come a little quicker this year. Work with the rhythm of the season and do what winter calls for: rest; refuel; and slow down your pace. And maybe, with enough compassion for ourselves and intention in our routines, we’ll find that winter feels a little less like something to endure and a little more like something we can gently move through.
