For as long as I can remember, I have felt a direct connection between my mental health and the change of the seasons. You would think that I was made to thrive in the cooler months — between my pale, easily-sunburned skin, my tendency for heat stroke, and my love of all things Christmas, the back half of the calendar should be when I really hit my stride. Yet without fail, the post-Halloween slump into daylight savings has always seemed to mark my own slide into a funk that lasts well into the new year.
The vibrant oranges and reds of the autumn leaves start to dull; the crisp, cool, windy days start to fade into overcast mornings, and the golden, early-evening sunsets give way to endless, dark nights. I start to feel like I’m in hibernation. A few years ago, I was diagnosed by a psychiatrist with Seasonal Affective Disorder — or SAD, as it’s more aptly known — a form of depression that is triggered by the changing of the seasons.
Now, SAD is a medical condition, and benefits from medical treatment; but the symptoms that mark it are commonly experienced by many of us in a phenomenon sometimes called “the winter blahs.” This condition is especially common in young people who live farther away from the equator, and thus get less exposure to sun in the winter months. In fact, it’s thought that one in 100 Canadians meet the criteria for SAD, and that the milder but still problematic “winter blahs” affect as much as an additional fifteen per cent of us.
As a person who has been trying to manage these blahs for over a decade, I feel that I’ve gotten a handle on what works for me and I wanted to share them with you, in case you find yourself also entering hibernation mode this November.
First of all, you gotta have your basics down; rest, water, food — think of yourself as a fussy houseplant with complex emotions and student debt. Get a cute refillable water bottle and put dumb little stickers on it that make you smile. Also, fun fact — a 2010 study found that as many as 97 per cent of Canadians demonstrate insufficient vitamin D levels, and low levels of vitamin D have been linked to an increased likelihood of SAD symptoms. So try and eat a vegetable every once in a while, and for when you can’t manage that, make sure you’re taking a multivitamin.
Also, fellow night owls; you might not want to hear this, but in the winter, when the sun sets at 4:00 p.m., it is more important than ever that you find a reliable sleep schedule and stick to it so that you can avoid the vicious cycle of oversleeping or napping away what precious daylight hours we have. Pick a time that is realistic to start winding down and stick to it, and try to limit your phone use in the hour before sleep. Use of electronics that emit blue light have been tied to restrained production of melatonin, a vital hormone in our sleep-wake cycle. So set up a charging station for your phone on the other side of your room away from your bed. Better yet, put it in a different room at night and go vintage with an old-school alarm clock.
Second, try and find A Thing To Do — preferably, something that involves you getting outdoors regularly. This year I have taken up going for walks around Albert Dyck park with a friend, but it doesn’t have to be a big commitment; the important thing is finding little ways to infuse more of the outdoors into your day. If the weather isn’t inclement, sit outside Building B while you eat your $12 Triple-O’s burger; if you’re stuck studying up in the stacks, open a window and get some fresh air; and, if you feel like you need a little extra boost, the Clearbrook library loans out sunshine lamps to anyone with a library card. Go pick up one of those, and sit in front of it while you drink your morning coffee; I always find it helps me!
Finally, if you are really struggling, to the point where you feel like it’s impacting your ability to function, then talk to your doctor or to a counselor (UFV offers free counseling services, FYI). All these things are great tools to give yourself a pick-me-up, but they are no replacement for the advice and treatment of a healthcare provider. As the temperatures drop and the days get greyer, remember to be kind to yourself and give yourself some grace.
Also, for the love of God, delete TikTok — your circadian rhythms and your mental health will thank you.
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