We often feel gloomy and even tired during this time of year. Why is that? You’ve probably heard about “Seasonal Depression” or “Winter Blues” many times. Although these terms are used lightly, the effects of the winter months have a large impact on our mental health.
Winter time may be a time for many to celebrate as we see beautiful snowfall, we often see our families over the holidays, and life usually slows down for many of us.
However, the short days during the winter still often lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. The weather often forces us to change plans or stay inside, and poor road conditions make it difficult to get around. Without a social connection, many start feeling lonely and remote.
These mental health concerns can lead to having a lasting effect on people’s overall wellbeing.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise known as SAD is a mood disorder that often occurs around the fall or winter months. The biggest causes are less sunlight and shorter days and your melatonin levels becoming low. Symptoms often include feelings of sadness, anxiousness, and hopelessness. Other symptoms may also include losing interest in your favorite activities, losing energy, becoming very tired, struggling to concentrate, and changing your sleep patterns.
If left untreated, SAD can turn into other mental health conditions. As a result, our daily lives may become incredibly hard to manage. Our relationships may dwindle, we may begin struggling with school or work, and this could ultimately lead to severe mental health illnesses.
Although, our mental health changes frequently it is important to ensure that we do the best we can to combat it and maintain it. Mental Health refers to our overall well-being and how we think, behave, and control our feelings. Being healthy has many parts and being emotionally well is a huge part. When we prioritize ourselves emotionally we notice that we begin to feel better and live better.
Thankfully we have many tools available in our everyday lives to help reach our emotional wellness goals. We need to become regulars of mindfulness.
One of the biggest tools is your already built and trusted relationships, whether those relationships are your family, friends, or partners. Find one person or a circle of people who you can talk to often about how you’re feeling in your everyday life. Create a group chat or weekly plan to check in on one another.
Another tool is getting in enough activity in your daily life. Get up and move around, get your heart rate up. Your energy levels will strengthen and your sleep schedule will become more persistent. Regular exercise has many health benefits and is a common mood booster for many.
Another recommendation is to find a place where you feel relaxed and destressed. This looks different for each person. Some may find that a 30-minute meditation session may help and others find peace in a 30-minute music session. Writing in a journal can also be a great way to help understand those feelings or even read a book. Find what makes you happy and stress-free and stick with it to see the results.
If you feel that you still struggle with your emotional wellness and mental health, it is encouraged to reach out to a health professional to see what treatment options are available. If you need urgent help please call the following hotline, Safe Haven Hope Line 1-800-351-7347 or 937-335-7148.
Darke County Coalition also recommends the following places for further assistance Family Health – Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, Family Resource Center, and Recovery & Wellness Centers of Midwest Ohio.