When it comes to talking about mental health, my favorite thing to do is to lead with how common it is. For one, mental health, like physical health, is simply something everyone lives with. Some people can choose whether or not to tend to it, but others have conditions that require them to know more about mental health’s ins and outs.
I’m in the latter group. I think I’ve always struggled with anxiety, but it became more of a “I need to do something about these panic attacks” in my early twenties. While I’m in my thirties now, there are still ebbs and flows to my mental health, and probably always will be.
One mental health condition I always look out for is Seasonal Affective Disorder, commonly known as the ‘winter blues.’
According to the American Psychiatric Association, about 5% of the American population struggles with SAD.
But as the National Institute of Mental Health notes, it’s also hard to know how many people struggle with it because of the criteria people need to meet to be diagnosed. You have to have persistent symptoms for at least two years in a row.
Often, when someone tells you that they’re dealing with seasonal depression, they are self-diagnosing based on symptoms they’ve seen pop up from summer to fall/winter. I’m a big believer that, in some cases, knowing what you’re contending with and personalizing your care to your symptoms is the best way to start helping yourself, whether you have an official diagnosis or not.
What is SAD?
SAD shares symptoms with general depression. Someone with depression may feel persistently sad for at least 2 weeks, feel irritable, or lose interest in things they once loved. General depression is considered seasonal when it only surfaces in your life about 40% of the year. There are both winter-pattern SAD and summer-pattern SAD.
What are winter-pattern SAD symptoms?
Winter-pattern SAD typically kicks in once the days get shorter and there’s less sunlight. It has more to do with the change in daylight than with the calendar. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms include oversleeping, overeating, and hibernating (aka social withdrawal).
What do I do to feel better if I struggle with SAD?
Before I share a few things that may help, since I’m not a medical expert, I want to encourage you to reach out to your doctor if your symptoms feel unmanageable and unbearable. If you need immediate help, turn to resources like Crisis Text Line or dialing 988.
HERE ARE 5 THINGS THAT MAY HELP IF YOU ARE SAD
*the first four are backed by the National Institute of Mental Health although I will share personally how I’ve used them
Buy a SAD Lamp
I got mine from Amazon for $26 about three years ago. It isn’t fancy, but it does the job. The science behind using the lamp is that it helps mimic the sunlight you are missing out on in the winter. It’s about 20 times brighter than your everyday light; you use it for 30 minutes once a day and place it on a table so that your peripheral vision catches the light.
Check your Vitamin D levels
Now is still a good time to get some blood work done. Ask your doctor to check your Vitamin D levels (which tend to plummet in the winter) and recommend a supplement if your levels are low. I take a daily Vitamin D3 that also has K2.
Therapy
I’m a weekly goer. I want to get one of those sweatshirts that say, “I’m my therapist’s favorite,” just for kicks. Starting therapy (or picking up therapy again) can be scary, though, so this may be a useful resource.
Anti-depressants
While I haven’t personally taken anti-depressants, I believe in them. I think it’s okay to turn to any support that is going to make it easier for you to get out of bed.
Spice up your routines
New habits don’t always replace big feelings, but they can help you feel more in control in the right ways. Some new habits I’ve added to my routines this season include — sleeping in a little later or going outside for a short morning walk, even on the coldest days. Honestly, even having our Christmas tree up still is helping offset the 4pm struggle.