Seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD), impacts millions of people during the winter. The dark, cold weather can easily lead to dark, cold moods from the “winter blahs” that leave people feeling lethargic and depressed. The sneaky thing about it is that you could be going through it without knowing it because it’s not as “dramatic” as regular depression while still being a significant emotional burden.
Doctors tend to recommend going outside, exercising, planning activities, etc. to tackle seasonal affective disorder. But if you’re in a mindset that causes getting out of bed or making a phone call to feel like an exhausting struggle, it can feel impossible to hit the gym or arrange an activity with a friend. Luckily, one doctor gets it.
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Psychologist Dr. Raquel Martin understands that the struggle with seasonal affective disorder is real. “It’s so crazy to me that this spells out ‘sad,’” she says in her video. Dr. Martin makes sure to point out that seasonal depression can appear in different forms (losing interest in things that usually bring joy, sleeping more, not sleeping, “feeling heavy,” etc.) to hammer home that seasonal depression can be different from one person to another, in varying degrees. The lack of daylight in late fall and winter can mess with a person’s serotonin and melatonin levels, influencing a person’s mood, sleep, and energy. So, depending on how a person’s body responds, seasonal depression could as benign as a person feeling sluggish or emotionally crippled like full-on depression.
She also mentions that the common recommendations to combat seasonal depression are good, but emphasizes that there doesn’t need to be dramatic change to effectively fight against it. Martin stresses that it’s not the intensity of the treatment but the consistency—doing it every day rather than worrying about doing it “right.” “Don’t go big with this, go realistic,” she says.
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Most doctors like her recommend making it a point to expose yourself to daylight by going outside. But, she says, even as little as four minutes by the window with open blinds can help if you’re office-bound. Exercise is also a booster, but if you can’t or won’t go to the gym, going for a short walk, doing a quick dance to a song on your phone, or just shuffling your shoulders will do more than doing nothing at all.
Planning activities and hobbies is also commonly recommended, but Martin says to just make one “anchor activity” for each day rather than a routine. It can be as simple as making yourself a cup of coffee or shooting one text to a single person.
Martin’s peers reached out to GOOD to agree with this mindset, especially if an affected person has tasks or chores to do that add onto the stress and struggle.
“When you’re dealing with seasonal depression, the goal is micro-movement and tiny habits,” said therapist Lisa Chen. “The smallest shift in your body or environment can start to lift your mood within seconds.”
“Break down tasks into smaller parts,” suggests therapist Aaron Mostin. “Instead of ‘clean the kitchen,’ just put three things away, which is much less overwhelming.”
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Martin also says that folks who notice their friends or family members getting impacted by seasonal depression can help without being overwhelming or overbearing.
“Instead of asking, ‘What can I do to help,’ offer to bring dinner over or stop to pick them up for a change of scenery,” added Mostin. “Try being a gentle presence. Ask, ‘Do you just want me to listen, or would like me to give you advice?’”
This allows you to not only help them with some tasks, but ensures that they’re taking care of themselves, too. If requested, you can do some other things to help like going on a walk with them or participating in other activities to get them out of the house if they feel comfortable.
While something as simple as the weather can greatly impact a person’s mood and physiology, it’s encouraging to know that there are methods that are just as simple that can help counter its impact.