As the weather gets colder, our mood can begin to change. “Winter Blues,” also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD, is related to the changes of the seasons. More predominately, SAD strikes when the leaves begin to change and the weather chills our bones. This change can zap our energy and leave us feeling moody and exhausted year after year. With this year’s early snow fall leaving white fluffy stuff on our front lawns, it can leave us feeling like there is this cloud hanging over our heads until the nice weather makes its way back to us.
Causes of SAD
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are three factors that play a role in why we may feel the way we do during the winter, these include:
- Your biological clock. The reduced level of sunlight in fall and winter may cause winter-onset SAD. This decrease in sunlight may disrupt your body’s internal clock and lead to feelings of depression.
- Serotonin levels. Reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin, a brain chemical that may trigger these depressive moods.
- Melatonin levels. The change in season can disrupt the balance of the body’s level of melatonin, which plays a role in sleep patterns and mood.
Symptoms
As the leaves begin to fall, so does our energy level and it can leave us with that overall sensation of not feeling “normal.” Some typical symptoms we see with fall and winter SAD according to the Mayo Clinic include:
- Feeling depressed or sad most of the day
- Losing interest in typical daily activities
- Low energy
- Oversleeping
- Appetite changes – GIVE ME ALL THE CARBS!!!
- Feeling sluggish or on edge
- Feeling hopeless, worthless, or guilty
- Weight gain
It is important not to brush these symptoms off as being a weather change or a funk that you just need to tough out until the weather beams that beautiful sunlight again. There are actually steps you can take to help reverse this re-occurring feeling. This year, let’s try out a different method to help us escape this cloud and leave us sweaty – EXERCISE!
Why Exercise?
I know most of you are thinking, seriously, when I feel like this, the LAST thing I want to do is workout! I get that. We have all been there before, but if we want to actually feel better this winter, we need to make some changes to our daily routine. Our society has fallen into this funk of “quick fixes.” Sure, exercise may end up being the harder way to help the situation, but no one has ever worked out and been like “wow, I sure regret that I did that. I feel worse than before.” How you feel on the inside reflects how you portray yourself on the outside. Craft and Perna found exercise has so many positive benefits for your brain including:
- Increased body temperature. A greater supply in blood flow leads to an overall increased temperature in our brain stem, which helps to promote relaxation and decrease muscular tension
- Release of endorphins. These little guys help to increase a positive mood and an enhanced sense of well being
- Increased serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These are neurotransmitters in our brain and when depression strikes, it sucks these chemicals from our brain leaving us feeling the way we do.
- Serotonin = happiness
- Dopamine = reward and motivation
- Norepinephrine = our stress hormone or our “fight or flight” hormone; it is the way our body perceives a stressful event. It leads to increased energy, alertness, and concentration.
- Distraction. As we exercise, we are distracted from our thoughts and feelings we had going into our session; therefore, leading us to realize how we can escape from those feelings.
Regular moderate to vigorous activity can help reduce your risk of SAD as well as reduce your symptoms. Types of exercise that will help bring you these benefits include:
- Cardio
- Weight lifting
- Body weight exercises
- Sports
- Dancing
- Etc …
After hearing all the benefits of exercise, does it still sound that bad??? Here at STRIDE, we want to help you get physically active in order to achieve these benefits. We want what is best for you!
– Cheyenne, ET
** If you think you or a loved one might be depressed, it is important to seek the counsel of a trained mental health professional for proper diagnosis and treatment. Call emergency services to receive immediate medical help if you’re having suicidal thoughts. For information on Mental Health & Addiction Services in our area, visit this link or call 1-877-329-0005.
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