By Ruhi Snyder
Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD (an appropriate acronym) or Winter Blues occurs with the change in seasons as the days get shorter, greyer, and darker. There is a general feeling of lack of motivation and energy and it is often accompanied by sadness, anxiety, increased sleep duration, lack of concentration and weight gain. Morning light therapy has proven to be more effective (10,000-lux light treatment in 30 minute sessions) in conjunction with consistent sleep time (Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine, 5th edition). If you are a shift worker light therapy is not a good option as your circadian clock is already misaligned and you do not have the luxury of consistent bedtime. Being a shift worker, I had to be inventive.
After trying a variety of different options I found that a really good way for me to beat the winter blues is to add fairy lights everywhere in my house and also by creating indoor micro jungles. Fairy lights will not disrupt your circadian clock but will add an element of joy; greenery is good for general well-being and helps elevate your mood. Combine the greenery with the lights and you have wonderland. Make sure you get your Vitamin D and get some exercise. If it is sunny outside make sure you get outside and bask in it. If the symptoms persist please see your health care provider.
