In winter, people's mood often deteriorates, they lose the desire to go to work, they don't feel like getting out of bed at all, they become lethargic and apathetic. If such symptoms appear, it means that winter depression is beginning - one of the varieties of seasonal depression. Many people try to make up for the lack of warmth and sunlight by absorbing large amounts of tasty food, but this is an unequal replacement. Often the deterioration of the condition begins in late autumn, when the length of daylight hours is sharply reduced and the weather becomes cold and rainy.
What are the reasons for winter depression?
The decrease in vitality at this time of year depends on the decrease in the amount of sunlight falling on the retina of the eyes and stimulating the production of serotonin, one of the main neurotransmitters, called the “happiness hormone”. But the sleep hormone, melatonin, is produced in greater quantities in winter. Its effect on the body is expressed in increasing drowsiness and lethargy.
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Seasonal affective disorder, another name for winter depression, has many symptoms.
Symptoms such as:
- deterioration of well-being during the daytime, apathy, lethargy, constant drowsiness, causeless fatigue;
- sleep disorders - awakening can be either unreasonably early or difficult;
- increased outbursts of irritability, anxiety;
- decreased ability to work;
- overeating and weight gain due to the predominance of sweet and starchy foods in the diet, indigestion;
- decreased immunity, susceptibility to infectious diseases such as ARVI and influenza;
- osteoarticular pain.
A person suffering from depression in winter experiences changes in their behavior. He becomes withdrawn, and any attempts to get him to talk end in conflicts. In this regard, difficulties arise at work, relationships with relatives and friends deteriorate.
Opening the season
There are different classifications of depression. One of the most common - in terms of frequency of occurrence.
According to WHO (World Health Organization) forecasts, by the 20s of the 21st century, depression will become the most common disease in Europe, overtaking all non-communicable diseases.
A single case of depression caused by one reason or another is called a “depressive episode.” Long-term, but not very pronounced depression is called “dysthymia.” Depression that returns from time to time is called "recurrent depression." In all cold northern countries, a big problem is a type of recurrent depression called “seasonal depression.” It is no coincidence that the Scandinavians lead the world in the number of suicides.
There is a myth that seasonal depression comes in spring and autumn and is caused by some incomprehensible, almost mystical factors. In fact, most seasonal depression occurs in winter. And they are caused by banal natural weather phenomena:
1. Lack of light. At the end of November, the length of daylight in European Russia is approximately seven hours. As a result, almost all working people see virtually no sunlight. They leave the house when the sun may have come out, but it is pale and grey, and they return after dark. Well, at work, basically, everyone sits with the curtains drawn, under the so-called fluorescent lamps, the light from which is extremely unnatural and tiring.
2. Feeling of constant cold. We somehow know how to cope with serious freezing. However, a feeling of constant discomfort from a constant change in temperature - from the cold on the street to the unbearable heat in the subway, when you stand in a fur coat and two sweaters, squeezed in a crowd; from the stuffiness in the minibus to the piercingly cold wind, in which you can’t even breathe when you get out of this minibus, it’s still exhausting.
3. Speaking of lack of air. In general, things don’t work out very well for residents of big cities with clean air, but in the cold season things get really bad. The windows in the rooms are closed all winter, outside we breathe the same exhaust gases as in the summer, but now breathing is also complicated by three layers of scarf.
4. Plus a lot of additional joys - vitamin deficiency, chronic fatigue, constant colds, etc.
All this, at first glance, seems banal. And the person himself does not realize the harmful influence of the above factors. Well, bad and bad. Every year we get tired, every year we wait for the New Year holidays like a miracle, and then we spend them mostly in bed. The catch is that all these “platitudes” become the causes of depression with all the corresponding symptoms: sleep disturbances, loss of appetite, the feeling that it will never end, loss of strength, inability to concentrate on anything, and, most importantly, - feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and guilt.
Most often, a person does not realize that he is depressed, and, experiencing an essentially unreasonable feeling of guilt, begins to look for a reason. And it’s always not difficult to find it: I rarely visit my parents - I’m guilty of them, I spend little time with my children - I’m even more guilty, I had a fight with my husband yesterday - I’m really guilty... But under the influence of depression, the feeling of guilt grows and becomes the guiding principle of a person’s entire life. Moreover, as soon as such maladaptive ideas appear, it becomes clear that depression will not go away quickly, because they themselves support it.
What is the difference between winter depression in women?
Seasonal affective disorder affects about 10% of people, and women are most often affected due to their greater emotionality. Sometimes an atypical form of SAD occurs, in which, against the background of decreased appetite and sleep disturbances, body weight noticeably decreased.
Women’s tendency to winter depression is influenced by the neuroticism of personality characteristic of many of them and the quality of character, which is called “avoidance of harm.” Such people try to behave as conflict-free as possible; even in the face of threats, their behavior remains passive. This may be why winter depression is most often diagnosed in introverts.
Who's at risk
To believe that winter depression occurs only in women is fundamentally wrong. Both men and even children are susceptible to it. Doctors identify the following categories of people at risk:
- Those who work in dark rooms;
- Those who do not play sports;
- Those who eat poorly;
- Those who do not walk in the fresh air;
- Those who live in a region with little sun: these usually include the northern and central regions of the country.
Winter depression, the symptoms of which exhaust a person quite seriously, usually manifests itself in the form of depressed mood, reluctance to get up in the morning, chronic fatigue, apathy, the desire to eat something sweet, loss of appetite or the opposite situation (severe gluttony), and reluctance to take care of oneself.
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How to deal with winter depression
All experts agree on one thing. Light combats depression most effectively.
Therefore, to solve problems associated with seasonal disorder, it is worth using such proven techniques as:
- Light therapy. The procedures are carried out in clinics. Patients are irradiated with visible light in special boxes.
- Proper nutrition. You should replace sweet foods with healthier ones, which contain complex carbohydrates and vitamins A, C and D.
- Be sure to include red fruits and vegetables in your menu, which will definitely help in the fight against depression.
- Be outside as often as possible. Walking even in cloudy weather will lift your mood, since natural light in an open space is much higher than indoors.
- Physical exercise.
In the fight against winter depression, you should not resort to alcohol.
You need to reconsider your lifestyle. Improve relationships with others. Actively participate in the social life of the work team.
Load up on vitamin D and omega-3
We get such useful and important vitamin D from ultraviolet radiation. But since in winter the sun is almost invisible, in your daily diet give preference to beef liver, hard cheeses and eggs, which more or less compensate for this gap. Fatty acids, and in particular omega-3, are also responsible for the emotional state. So don't forget about red fish, nuts and beans. The record holder among “lucky” foods is flaxseeds.
How to overcome the blues (apathy)
1. Awakening. “How you start the day is how you will spend it,” says an old folk adage that has not lost its relevance to this day.
a. Alarm. It’s difficult to wake up for work on your own, so you can’t do without an alarm clock. Under no circumstances should you ring the bell with nasty, harsh, or traumatic sounds.
It’s much more pleasant to wake up to the chords of your favorite song or the sounds of a saxophone (piano, cello, violin, or even a whole orchestra!), and you are guaranteed to open your eyes and stretch with a blissful smile on your face.
b. Breakfast. Refusing breakfast with the motivation: “I don’t have time to eat” is a crime against one’s own body. Include in your morning menu milk porridge (oatmeal, buckwheat, semolina), freshly squeezed berries, fruit juice (or a mixture of them), a sandwich with whole grain bread, butter and hard cheese.
Instead of your usual cup of coffee, try drinking cocoa in the morning. Remember that bananas, cocoa and ice cream contain mood-improving substances. If your general condition is really bad, then start the day with chocolate ice cream sprinkled with banana syrup.
2. Remember joy. Every person enjoys his favorite pastime, such as: talking with a friend, reading a detective story in a cafe with a cup of aromatic latte, engaging in a hobby, feeding squirrels with nuts in the park, etc.
Stop for a few minutes in the middle of the day, take some time for yourself, disconnect from the eternal rush. You can visit the library or chat with friends, or you can treat yourself to a pretentious bar instead of the office canteen, and your mood will significantly increase.
3. Shopping. A well-known means of combating the blues, proven by generations of representatives of the fairer sex, is shopping. Nothing invigorates a woman more and stimulates her production of endorphins than buying a beautiful set of underwear, an avant-garde handbag or a new fashionable jacket. And an extra pair of dress shoes paired with fishnet stockings has never been too much. Pamper yourself with shopping on cold winter days, improve your attitude, because you deserve and deserve it!
4. Physical activity. Scientists have long established a direct connection between muscle load and the production of endorphins. And it doesn’t matter at all whether you visit the pool, sign up for a fitness center or take up ballroom dancing.
Even if you don’t have time for such events, even the busiest person can allocate 20 minutes a day for basic exercises. Take care of yourself, keep your body in good shape, and you will forget about constant drowsiness and migraine attacks.
5. Fill the world around you with new colors. You shouldn’t constantly walk with your head down, completely immersed in yourself. Color your life with bright colors.
And it doesn’t matter how you achieve this - by rearranging furniture, buying new paintings and accessories for your own home, or photographing the most joyful and positive moments. It is important that your brain receives a daily dose of pleasant experiences.
6. Introduce a reward system. Every person enjoys praise, so why not engage in self-encouragement. Get yourself a separate beautiful notebook in which you will write down a list of all the necessary tasks, and after completing each of them, put a red plus sign next to it.
And it doesn’t matter that it’s just a trip to the store for a new curtain, a visit to the masseuse or cleaning the workplace. The main thing is that at the end of the week, your notebook will be full of positive pluses, for which you can treat yourself to a new blouse or a trip to the theater to see a play with your favorite actor.
7. Art. Many positive films have been made, relaxing, kind, and making us smile. There are also an endless number of funny books.
Make yourself a selection of your favorite comedies, record a collection of positive music and have your favorite book ready that will make you laugh. Don’t be too lazy to look at your collection at least once a day, because a smile illuminates the soul and warms the body with warmth.
8. Positive attitude. Put a barrier to sad thoughts, give up a bad mood. After all, the events that take place directly depend on your internal state.
Treat troubles philosophically, as a necessary lesson. Smile and greet every new day with joy, and life will definitely smile back at you.
Be joyful, happy and loved!
Mila Nabogova
Play some sports
Ask gym regulars - sport is one of the best medicines against blues, apathy and depression. When all your thoughts are focused on the work of your muscles, when you feel your body and, together with sweat, you expel the accumulated negativity, your head begins to think more clearly, your thoughts come into order, and your mood improves. By the way, experts say that cardio training is excellent in this case. Plus, playing sports will help prepare your body for the spring and summer.
