Attitude Determined by Latitude: Falling Forward Instead of Back with Daylight Savings Time
BRIDGETTE W. GOTTWALD, LPC, NCC
It’s no secret that winters in Chicago are tough, but I never thought I would be receiving a work email about Chicago Police closing down W. Adams street due to falling ice…in October. Just as we start to pull out that pumpkin bread recipe and arrange the pumpkins and gourds on our doorsteps, winter comes in knocking aggressively on our doors. Oh my gourd, how depressing.
However, the gravity of the word “depressing” can mean different things to many of us. For those of us in the mental health industry, we don’t take this word lightly. In fact, “an estimated 10 million Americans struggle with full-blown Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and another 10% to 20% are believed to suffer from less severe winter mood changes.” Typically, women are more affected than men and the symptoms are similar to that of any kind of depression. However, these symptoms start to show up every year, repeatedly, as the seasons transition and get closer to winter. It turns out that these symptoms are not only affected by the first snowfall but also triggered by changes that occurred this weekend – daylight savings time.
The Light in Your Life: Keep It Simple, Stupid
Snowfall can serve as a double-edged sword. Transportation becomes inconvenient, temperatures are colder, which typically encourages people to stay indoors, but if you get outside to take a walk or do something active, “you can get a dazzling amount of light reflecting off the snow.” If you are affected by depression, light can actually make a big difference within your life.
The human brain is wired to use light in regulating mood. We can use knowledge to fight against the undesirable symptoms of depression. I’ve always strongly believed in the power of simplicity – whether it be in the kitchen while cooking, in relationships, or in my therapeutic practices. Life is already so complicated, so why not keep things simple when we can? When suffering from depression or SAD, something basic like going outside to take a short walk on a bright, snowy morning is going to help you. Similarly, getting those endorphins going and exercising will produce more dopamine within the brain, which will help counteract these symptoms from sliding back into your life like the Grinch himself sliding his way into holiday parties.
Strategies to Beat Depression and the Winter Blues
Our brains are geared to move towards pleasure, and away from pain, so why not do all we can to counteract these negative symptoms from being present in our lives, as well as the lives of loved ones? Before making your Christmas list and checking it twice, perhaps glance at this list too:
· Engage in pro-active behaviors that counteract a tendency or desire to hibernate. Be aware of the negative spiral of hiding and avoiding
· Practice thinking skills that recognize and offset ruminating depressed thought patterns
· Research, gain knowledge and proactively learn how to live with the depression
· Plan ahead
· Come up with fun activities for each day
· Involve family and friends in your life and encourage them to reach out to you to make plans
· Get outside, keep yourself active and exercise regularly
· Utilize lightboxes and read up on light therapy to properly understand how it affects us
· Get your rest but avoid sleeping in or oversleeping
Show Up and Pivot
As the holidays creep onto our calendars and temperatures drop, it’s easy to get bogged down and trapped by negative thought patterns. The power of showing up, and putting yourself out there is often underestimated. Instead of getting that holiday party invitation, rolling your eyes, and thinking about how you don’t want to go and talk to Uncle Jimmy about what you’re doing with your life, you’d be amazed by the power of getting up, dressing up and showing up with a different mindset. So, you still don’t want to talk to Uncle Jimmy about your job? Fair, pivot and stimulate new conversation. Instead of falling back with daylight savings time, we can fall forward and beat these symptoms by staying ahead of the game. In changing patterns and utilizing knowledge about mental disorders, people may find it easier to live with the illness instead of letting that illness define or conquer them.
Reference:
Dampier, C. (2019). The End of Daylight Saving Time Can Mark the Start of Seasonal Depression. Here’s How to Head It Off (hint: no sleeping late). Retrieved from: https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-life-early-winter-seasonal-depression-tt-1101-20191101-7wmjb22wyvcbtj7ku2swygd5i4-story.html