Now that we have set the clocks back and returned to standard time, experts say you may start to feel a difference in mood and motivation.
The time difference and cooler weather are the main ingredients for what mental health experts call Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Experts say the key thing people should do is find alternative ways to get exposure to light, since we will be seeing less of it as the winter season rolls in.
But there is more to it. It is not just about how to prepare, it is also about how to identify when you should reach out to a professional for mental health treatment.
Nurse Practitioner Shauntel Marcin starts helping some of her patients prepare for the seasonal blues around late October.
Marcin says being proactive and aware of the facts can help ease the worry that comes when mood and motivation, unprovoked, take a steep dive.
“We don’t have a lot of motivation. People say they’re more fatigued, they don’t really enjoy doing the things they normally enjoy doing. So it’s a form of depression that typically occurs episodically versus all throughout the year,” said Marcin.
The official term is Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Marcin says it is no mystery, and it is nothing to blame on yourself. It is simply what happens when we see less of the sun between October and February.
“Happens more frequently in women than men typically, but you’ll see it across the board, especially in more northern states and the further you are from the equator, essentially,” said Marcin.
Marcin says everyone is effected differently because hormones like serotonin and dopamine are out of whack without the sun to nurture and activate as much as usual.
Marcin says plenty of rest, exercise and a healthy diet is a good start, but the most recommended treatment is light therapy.
“You’re going to sit in front of it for about 30 minutes in the morning. You don’t want to directly stare into it, but what this does is it helps mimic those first morning light hours of sun, helps boost those serotonin levels, helps get you going for the day, turns down those sleepy chemicals,” said Marcin.
Marcin recommends getting a light with a brightness of 10,000 lumens.
Marcin says a clear sign to get help from a professional is if things that normally bring you joy no longer have a chance at making the mood any lighter.