“There was no possibility
of taking a walk that day. We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless
shrubbery an hour in the morning; but since dinner (Mrs. Reed, when there was
no company, dined early) the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so
sombre, and a rain so penetrating, that further out-door exercise was now out
of the question. I was glad of it: I never liked long walks, especially on
chilly afternoons: dreadful to me was the coming home in the raw twilight, with
nipped fingers and toes, and a heart saddened by the chidings of Bessie, the
nurse, humbled by the consciousness of my physical Inferiority to Eliza, John,
and Georgiana Reed.” – Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre.
Surprisingly, there isn’t a whole
lot of research out there about how humans react to winter in an emotional
sense. What I did manage to find was that a longitudinal study examining the
patterns of depressive symptomology demonstrated that individuals with
depression tended to report elevated symptoms during winter. So if you often experience low mood during this time,
you are definitely not alone. However, the magnitude of increased depressive
symptoms was modest – so there’s no need to get too up in arms about the ol’
winter blues.
What causes us to potentially
experience moderately lower mood during the winter months? Well, the main
factor is the overall change in our circadian rhythms (that is, our
biological/body clocks) due to a shift in durations and patterns of lightness
and darkness. Our bodies and brains are very sensitive to environmental
conditions - mainly for survival reasons. The light from the sun throughout the
day tells our bodies that it is time to be alert, as this is also the safest
time for us to be out and about. Daytime is when our visual systems are able to
function most effectively in order to find food and detect predators. It is
also when our fellow humans are awake – so it is a pretty useful time to be
conscious. During winter, the amount of daylight is reduced, which often leaves
us feeling sleepy and introspective because our environment is essentially
telling us that it’s time to go into ‘hibernation mode’. If we’re spending lots
of time alone indoors, we’re probably not socializing or exercising as much as
we normally would. These behaviours are really important for our mental health.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that many of us experience a dip in our mental
wellbeing during winter.
What can we do to make sure we’re
looking after our mental health during winter?
Self-care
This involves the basic
things we need to do each day to maintain our health and wellbeing such as
drinking water, eating a wide variety of nourishing foods, eating at regular
intervals, getting enough sleep, engaging in joyful movement, taking time to rest,
connecting with others, and practicing mindfulness. These might seem obvious or
overly simple, but they can make a big difference to how we feel. We’ve got to
make sure the basic, everyday things are covered before we can even think about
tackling the bigger things in life.
See
the positives
Winter may be cold and
gloomy, but there are some things I really like about it. I like hot drinks,
big coats, being inside with the heater on while watching the rain, watching
movies, reading books – you get the picture. What I’m saying is, although this
season can take its toll on our mental health, it has its strengths – and it’s
important to recognize them.
Increase vitamin D intake
I’m not an expert on
nutrition, but I do know that with the sun hiding, it can be easy to get low
vitamin D levels and this can really affect the way we feel. In fact, there is
some research to suggest that vitamin D may play a role in preventing and
treating depression. Therefore, it may be helpful to consume lots of foods rich
in vitamin D, such as dairy products and fish, as well as perhaps even taking a
supplement.
Reach
out
Winter feels like a time to
isolate ourselves – we don’t feel like going out, and may desire solitude.
That’s ok because we all need time to recharge. It’s important, however, to
maintain our connections with friends and loved ones even if this occurs less
frequently than in the warmer months. Take advantage of ‘winter activities’
like movie nights, board games, cooking etc.
Seek
help
It is estimated that
approximately 3% of the general population suffers from a condition called
seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This is essentially a form of
season-specific depression, which is most commonly reported in winter. If you
tend to experience depressive symptoms that interfere with your daily
functioning, or cause distress during a specific season, I encourage you to
speak to your GP or psychologist about your concerns. There are many effective treatment options
available. For instance, light therapy is a relatively new intervention that
involves exposing individuals to light at certain times to try compensate for
the effects of increased levels of darkness on circadian rhythms during the
colder months.
Written
by Lauren—ADAVIC Volunteer