Winter and its weather may be bringing your mood down – Health Today
I decided to look into this question because I have always wondered if there is any connection between how the weather is with the seasons and how humans feel. I myself would say that I tend to feel less energetic, often sadder in the winter, but I never really figured out or questioned why…until now. Is there a connection between how I feel emotionally and the season? Or does it just happen by chance that I personally feel less enthusiastic once winter comes around?
To look into this, I looked for research that tried to analyze the connection between winter weather and a person’s emotions. In my research I came across a diagnosis known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, in which people “suffer from serious symptoms of depression during the winter months, with symptoms subsiding during the spring and summer months.” This disorder is more commonly (and ironically) known as SAD. However, SAD is not nearly the same as the simple emotion “sad.”
According to Mental Health America, “SAD is a mood disorder associated with depression and related to seasonal variations of light.” This disorder is said to affect half a million people every winter between the months of September and April, usually peaking in December, January, and February. This disorder can be a serious problem and lead to even worse depression that occurs year after year. Symptoms of SAD are likely to include but are not limited to depression, anxiety, mood changes, sleep problems, lethargy, overeating, social problems and even sexual problems.
Below are typical targets of people who are the most likely to encounter SAD:
- Three out of four SAD sufferers are women.
- The main age of onset of SAD is between 18 and 30 years of age.
- SAD occurs in both the northern and southern hemispheres, but is extremely rare in those living within 30 degrees latitude of the equator.
- The severity of SAD depends both on a person’s vulnerability to the disorder and his or her geographical location.
Studies from the News in Health organization from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services show what just might be causing people to get such serious SAD cases. According to the article linked above, “shorter days seem to be a main trigger for SAD. Reduced sunlight in fall and winter can disrupt your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm. This 24-hour “master clock” responds to cues in your surroundings, especially light and darkness.” For example, studies have shown that during the day, “your brain sends signals to other parts of the body to help keep you awake and ready for action. At night, a tiny gland in the brain produces a chemical called melatonin, which helps you sleep.” So the catch is that shortened daylight hours that occur in winter can “alter this natural rhythm” and potentially lead to symptoms of SAD.
In addition to SAD, there is something commonly known as the “Winter Blues” which highlights feelings of depression and insecurity during just the Winter months; more specifically December through February. “Winter Blues” is a generic term that is just identified as a more mild case of SAD. Unlike SAD, having the so called “Winter Blues” is much more common in people, but almost always much more easily treatable or tends to go away on its own (News in Health). I originally found this hard to believe with the amount of national holidays in this period, but then I researched and realized all of the potential factors that play into such an issue.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regards the “Winter Blues” as “a general term, not a medical diagnosis,” stating that it is in fact “fairly common” and “more mild than serious.” Winter Blues are known to usually clear up on their own, after the winter seasons are over, according to Dr. Matthew Rudorfer, a mental health expert at NIH. “Winter Blues” are often linked to specific things, such as “stressful holidays, reminders of absent loved ones” or even slight symptoms of SAD that do not fully develop (News in Health).
As far as treating SAD and the Winter Blues goes, doctors have been looking into solutions since around the 1980’s. Most of the time “light therapy is usually considered a first line treatment for SAD,” but it is said that this solution does not work for everyone. “Studies show that certain antidepressant drugs can be effective in many cases of SAD. The antidepressant bupropion (Wellbutrin) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating SAD and for preventing winter depression,” and doctors may even just prescribe other antidepressants to help deal with the signs of depression (News in Health).
All in all, even though just “10% of the US population” experience “some form of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)” and “only one or two percent of people experience symptoms severe enough to warrant medical care,” the danger is still out there (Health Today). SAD and “Winter Blues” is a serious thing and should not be taken lightly if you think you have a serious problem.
If you think you may be starting to experience the winter blues this coming season, try to help yourself by simply going outside for a walk, picking up a new hobby, eating healthy, venting to a friend, going to the gym, or getting a light-box to brighten up your room. Chances are if you do you’ll have a much better chance at being happier this winter.
Do you guys have any other ways that you help yourself stay joyful in the winter weather? Comment them below!
***All of the studies and information from this article and the pictures are not mine and have been cited appropriately***
Myself and three other women in my family have talked about this before and notice it in each other- we feel depression only in the winter months, and not a single sad thought in the months during summer, spring, and fall. What we feel in the wintertime is more than just sadness, its a type of seasonal depression. In your article you briefly mention light therapy as a cure. Ithaca College actually has something for their students to use that they like to call “fake sun.” Because Ithaca is so dark and dreary for the majority of the school year, and because of their higher suicidal rate, they use light therapy and recommend that their students make use of it. I’m from Pennsylvania, but PA still has long winters around here. My sister owns a light therapy lamp that she puts on her desk while doing work in the wintertime (with no harmful UV rays) and claims that it helps a lot with the feelings of depression.
This is a very interesting topic. I never thought that the seasons could cause depression. Isn’t it interesting how certain people can feel very happy in the winter, like the people who love skiing and snowmobiling, as opposed to the people who become depressed. Also, I wonder why SAD is more common in girls. I personally know more girls who prefer the warm weather and sunshine, so maybe that’s why? Is the depression due to a lack of sun or the cold weather? Or a combination of both?