Every year when winter comes around, I don’t always feel like myself. Most of the year, especially when it’s warm out, I’m the fun loving, energetic guy, most people know. In the spring, summer, and fall, I love to get outside at the beach, for a hike/picnic, or playing my favorite sport, tennis. However, during the winter, especially in Wisconsin, you just can’t do as many of those activities and that definitely leaves me feeling sad or depressed. 

Little did I know, but a large portion of the population feels very similarly. I did some research, and this is known as seasonal depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.). There are varying degrees of depression that range from self-diagnosis, counseling, therapy and even medication.  I know for me, I can snap out of my sadness within a few weeks, but for many it lasts the whole season, or worse yet, becoming full blown depression. Any way you cut it, S.A.D. is largely based around a few key symptoms: fatigue, loneliness, lack of sunlight/exercise and appetite changes. Ultimately, it’s a lack of balance in one’s life. When you remove any part of one’s daily activities or routine, your life is bound to change.

So how does one restore their balance during the winter months? First and foremost, one must control your sleep. When experiencing S.A.D. one can suffer from insomnia or excess sleepiness. In both cases, you will feel more fatigued throughout the day. To better control your sleep, learn about sleep calculators, understand your Rem cycles, and make an effort to go to bed and wake up, around the same time every day. Maladjusted sleep will affect many other symptoms of depression too, but especially your diet. Regardless of if you are eating less than your norm or more, you are probably eating unhealthily. High carb meals, fast food, and lots of sugary snacks and drinks, all contribute to one’s general apathy and sluggishness. I’m not saying you abandon the chocolate or the weekly Culver’s run, but at a minimum you need to add some fruits and vegetables to your routine, in order to get essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. In addition, drink more water! It seems obvious but water helps with everything, and still most don’t drink enough. At a minimum water will curb your appetite, and quench your thirst; a much healthier option for either scenario. 

Lack of sunlight and exercise are even harder issues to solve in the winter, as a lot of the issue is not necessarily in your control. If you work a 9-5 office job, you won’t be seeing much of the sun. Try to get out as much possible, as everyone needs Vitamin D, a vitamin that literally puts a smile on your face. Try getting your lunch break out of the office and consider an outdoor hobby in the winter, like skiing or paddle tennis. If sports like that aren’t accessible to you or don't appeal, go sledding, or at least try to take a walk around the block. If you feel like you're reliant on some sunlight, you may want to try light therapy. 

If you don’t love the cold, you’re going to have to get creative with your exercise. The gym or gym membership is an obvious answer, if you can discipline yourself to get to the gym a few times a week, this can help immensely. Contrarily, many are afraid of the gym, especially with Covid-19still lurking, in-home workouts may be the right options for you. In-home workouts range from: weight lifting, exercise programs like p-90x, yoga, tai chi, wii fit, Instagram workouts or even just some pushups between tv commercials, every bit helps, particularly if you’re not working out all to begin with. Definitely check out some of the fun at home activities and exercises from STRYV365. Follow us on YouTube and Instagram for all theSTRYV365 updates. 

Loneliness is becoming especially common with Covid-19 and our country going in and out of lockdowns. It is now easier than ever to get trapped in your room playing video games, watching Netflix, or even working all day. It is tough especially if your work requires you to be in front of a computer but try and take a break from all the screens when possible. If you are feeling especially down, call a close friend or family member, and see if they are willing to come over. If they can’t for health concerns, consider FaceTime and Zoom as great alternatives. Just seeing a friend or family member can vastly improve your mood and make your day. 

Through my experiences I’ve learned that motivation when it comes to S.A.D. is fickle. I’ve always been very good at catching myself from falling too far down. However, I would find myself in the same bad habits a few week slater. If you are looking to truly kick your seasonal depression, you want to become a creature of habit. Early to bed and early to rise, eat healthy foods -at least one meal a day, get 20 minutes of exercise, get outside if you can, and call or see a loved one, if you accomplish those 5 tasks every day, your mood will greatly improve and balance will return to your life. It sounds simple but change always causes hardships. If you are able to stick to your rules, and the boundaries you set for yourself, you will improve your mental and physical health. You must trust the process and discipline your body and mind, so you can get the S.A.D. out of your life. 

If you are experiencing serious mental health and depression, seek counseling or a doctor immediately. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  

Here are some resources that may be helpful:

https://city.milwaukee.gov/Health/Services-and-Programs/CHAP/Mental-Health-Resources

https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/DHHS/BHD

https://www.preventsuicidemke.com/

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

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