By Hailey Murphy
It’s winter here at Western!
Well, not actually. Winter is still over a month away. But considering the early snow, and the fact that it’s dark by 5 p.m., it might as well be.
And while we all know that winter brings cold weather and the holiday season, many don’t realize that the winter can also be affecting your mental health.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a subtype of depression in which depressive thoughts occur only at certain times of the year. It’s particularly common in the winter months– and in the rainy Pacific Northwest– when there’s limited sunlight.
“Our brains really need light to function how they’re supposed to, and so when we shift into these periods when we have very few hours of daylight, that’s really what starts to affect people’s moods,” said KaSandra Church, Suicide Prevention Coordinator with the Counseling Center.
The symptoms are similar to those of clinical depression, though usually more mild. They include loss of energy, anxiety, feelings of emptiness or hopelessness, social withdrawal, unhappiness, difficulty concentrating, oversleeping, irritability and over-eating.
There’s a milder form of the disorder as well, known as the Winter Blues. According to Dr. Kathleen B. Speicher, 10-20 percent of people may experience the Winter Blues, while only 4-6 percent actually experience SAD.
So what is it about the darkness that changes our moods?
For one, the winter has a tendency to throw off our circadian rhythms. Our bodies naturally want to fall asleep when it’s dark and wake up when it’s light. However, during the winter, there aren’t as many daylight hours.
Additionally, light affects the production of certain hormones. The production of melatonin, a hormone that help puts you to sleep, increases in the dark. Therefore, we tend to want to sleep when it’s dark outside.
Serotonin, a hormone that boosts mood, is produced more when people are exposed to sunlight. Without the sunlight, there’s less serotonin production and our moods are lower.
So if you experience gloomy feelings in the winter, it’s actually due to your body’s physiological processes. There’s a physical change in your body causing you to feel this way.
In fact, anyone can be a ected by SAD. Even people with excellent mental health throughout the rest of the year experience this. With the onset being between the ages of 18 and 30, the disorder also may be presenting itself for the first time.
Now, if you’re someone who’s having di culty as the days get darker, the question is, what can you do to feel better?
The most common recommendation is a light therapy lamp. These lamps contain bright fluorescent bulbs that mimic sunlight. Simply sitting in front of the light for 10-30 minutes each day can give you a dose of serotonin and improve your mood.
Making plans with friends will get you necessary social interaction, give you something to look forward to and potentially get you out of the house. Taking Vitamin D, which is produced when our skin is exposed to sunlight, may raise your spirits.
Even just a short walk outside can give you a helpful dose of natural light and exercise.
“Finding cheap alternative self-care strategies is huge,” said Ian Vincent, Men’s Resiliency Specialist with the Counseling Center. “I always try to encourage more group interaction stuff for self-care activities. I think winter is a time where a lot more people unintentionally isolate themselves just because it’s so dark and gloomy, but finding creative ways to still interact with people is really important.”
Western also offers services to those suffering from SAD. Every January, the Counseling Center holds Beat the Blues to raise awareness and provide support for students.
The event offers screening and professional clinicians to evaluate student mental health. Aer the evaluation, there are number of therapeutic outlets for students, including massage therapy, support animals, time with a light therapy lamp and creative projects. They also have a number of clubs attend the event to encourage social interaction.
Beat the Blues will be on Wednesday, January 10 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in VU 565.
Additionally, the Counseling Center is available free of charge for students seeking short-term counseling or group therapy. Students can call and set up an appointment at any time.
So whether it’s just a case of winter blues, SAD or something more long-term, there are resources available to get your mental health on the right track. Just know that your feelings are legitimate, and that people want to help.
“We try to break [mental health] stigma as early and as often as we can,” said Vincent.