Houghton Lake Resorter | Weathering the Winter Blues

Imagine this scenario – It’s 7:00 in the morning, still mostly dark outside, with a wind chill of 5 degrees. You haven’t seen the sun in over a week.  Your errands and social events revolve around the latest weather report. The holidays are over and for those lucky enough to go somewhere warm for spring break, that is still several weeks away. Of course, there is no need to “imagine” as it is what we experience almost every winter.

Symptoms of the winter blues are mild and temporary.   They may include feeling sad, having reduced motivation, mild changes in sleep, and a slight decrease in energy levels.  While frustrating, by definition they do not interfere with daily activities.  Factors thought to contribute to the winter blues include reduced exposure to daylight as well as colder temperatures limiting outdoor activities such as exercise and opportunities to socialize.  Where you live matters too.  The further North we live on the globe, the higher the rate of the winter blues people experience.  For example, 7.5% of the people who live south of the United States (near Mexico) report having symptoms of the winter blues, where we live (near the 45th parallel) the figure jumps to 20.2%.  

A lot of people confuse the winter blues with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), but they are two very different things.  SAD is a variant of a mood disorders such as major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder.  It is a specifier (or “add on”) to a mood disorder that indicates there is a seasonal pattern to symptoms.  It is not a separate, stand-alone mental health condition.  Another way SAD differs from the winter blues is that the symptoms are severe, last several weeks to months, interfere significantly with one’s ability to function, and can occur in the spring and summer months (although more rarely).  Similar to the rate of the winter blues, the prevalence of SAD increases the further north we live.  Around the 45th parallel, the rate of SAD is reported to be about 7.2% and decreases to 2.8% near Mexico.  Regardless of where we live, the percentage of people experiencing SAD is much lower than those with the winter blues. In addition to the amount of daylight, biological and genetic factors are believed to contribute to the development of SAD.

Using a medical example, you can think of the winter blues as a common cold.  It affects you for a short period of time with mild symptoms, but you are able to function and recover quickly.  SAD, on the other hand, is more similar to a chronic health condition whose symptoms are severe, debilitating at times, have a long duration, and may be and flow.

Since many of the symptoms of SAD overlap with other medical conditions, it is best to start with being evaluated by a medical professional to identify other possible contributors.  If SAD is suspected, you may benefit from meeting with a mental health professional for treatment as well.  

Fortunately, there are practical strategies for people experiencing the mild symptoms of the winter blues that do not involve moving out of state.  Until spring arrives, try these tips for some relief: 1) Open the bedroom shades to get as much early light as you can, 2) Get outside when it’s light, 3) Create or maintain healthy habits of regular exercise and good nutrition, 4) Plan regular enjoyable activities with family and friends, 5) Take a vacation somewhere warm to break up the winter months. 

A note about light box therapy – while using a light box may seem completely harmless, it can exacerbate certain mood disorders and other medical conditions.  Additionally, most people are not instructed on how to use them properly, which can be ineffective at best and cause harm at worst.  This is another reason why it is important to first seek medical advice.

Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction of six more weeks of winter means that we have another reason to celebrate around St. Patrick’s Day!

Dr. Stacey R. Gedeon of Roscommon County is a clinical health psychologist and founder of SRG Healthcare Consulting and Professional Coaching, PLLC (srghcc.com). The content of this column is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice or services in her capacity as a licensed psychologist. If you have suggestions for future topics on managing everyday challenges, please submit them to drgedeon@srghcc.com.