Staying Light During the Dark Days
Imagine, for a moment, what you might have done after supper in the middle of July. Cut the lawn? Sit on the front porch with a cool drink? Work in the garden? Visit with a friend? Go for a walk? Now, think about what you do these days after supper. Sit on the couch and watch TV? Take a nap? Play video games? There is a big difference in the types of activities, or non-activity, many folks take part in between the spring / summer months and the fall / winter months. One common reason for this difference simply is, during the colder months, after supper its dark outside.
Our bodies naturally shift physiologically when the sun goes down and these changes, when happen under our awareness, can change so much about us. Before we know it, we begin to hear ourselves saying things like “I’m so tired, I can’t seem to get myself off the couch.” or “I just don’t feel like going anywhere.” People around us are relating to these statements and paralleling our thoughts of negativity out loud. 51% of the general public are feeling and expressing their experiences of symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or fittingly, S.A.D. 2-3% may actually have a level of, and enough of, the symptoms to call it a “disorder”; but just over half of us experience the “winter blues” or “blaas”. For those who experience more severe bouts of depression during the fall/winter months, there is the option of considering light therapy. Any physician or reputable, medical written material can provide the necessary information.
If you ask someone who says they experience challenges in the colder months, the two main changes they will talk about are: 1) having less energy and 2) being less happy. And there are physiological reasons for this.
As soon as the sun goes down, a hormone is released from the brain called Melatonin, which regulates the body’s 24-hour clock, determining when we fall asleep and when we wake up. As soon as the sun comes up, a hormone is released called Serotonin, which can change a person’s mood. So, during times of more darkness the light, there is more Melatonin and less Serotonin triggered. The body and mind will want to go to sleep resulting in feeling lethargic, as well as shift towards a more negative mood.
Another reason for the lack of energy and negative moods is living with less frequent doses of Endorphins due to being less active. Endorphins can be considered “nature’s anti-depressant”. They are neurotransmitters in the brain the can reduce emotional and physical pain, while raising one’s mood. There are different ways we can kick in a dose of endorphins, some being healthy and some being not so healthy. Twenty minutes of dancing or walking should do the trick. A good laughing fit will work. Chocolate will also work, and unfortunately so does any form of carbohydrate. We’ve heard of the term “emotional eating”. This is the action behind the term. We eat anything sweet or starchy and we get a dose of “nature’s anti-depressant”. So it makes sense that we gain weight in the cold, dark months. We are trying to eat our way to a happier state of mind by kicking in endorphins.
Our bodies naturally shift physiologically when the sun goes down and these changes, when happen under our awareness, can change so much about us. Before we know it, we begin to hear ourselves saying things like “I’m so tired, I can’t seem to get myself off the couch.” or “I just don’t feel like going anywhere.” People around us are relating to these statements and paralleling our thoughts of negativity out loud. 51% of the general public are feeling and expressing their experiences of symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or fittingly, S.A.D. 2-3% may actually have a level of, and enough of, the symptoms to call it a “disorder”; but just over half of us experience the “winter blues” or “blaas”. For those who experience more severe bouts of depression during the fall/winter months, there is the option of considering light therapy. Any physician or reputable, medical written material can provide the necessary information.
If you ask someone who says they experience challenges in the colder months, the two main changes they will talk about are: 1) having less energy and 2) being less happy. And there are physiological reasons for this.
As soon as the sun goes down, a hormone is released from the brain called Melatonin, which regulates the body’s 24-hour clock, determining when we fall asleep and when we wake up. As soon as the sun comes up, a hormone is released called Serotonin, which can change a person’s mood. So, during times of more darkness the light, there is more Melatonin and less Serotonin triggered. The body and mind will want to go to sleep resulting in feeling lethargic, as well as shift towards a more negative mood.
Another reason for the lack of energy and negative moods is living with less frequent doses of Endorphins due to being less active. Endorphins can be considered “nature’s anti-depressant”. They are neurotransmitters in the brain the can reduce emotional and physical pain, while raising one’s mood. There are different ways we can kick in a dose of endorphins, some being healthy and some being not so healthy. Twenty minutes of dancing or walking should do the trick. A good laughing fit will work. Chocolate will also work, and unfortunately so does any form of carbohydrate. We’ve heard of the term “emotional eating”. This is the action behind the term. We eat anything sweet or starchy and we get a dose of “nature’s anti-depressant”. So it makes sense that we gain weight in the cold, dark months. We are trying to eat our way to a happier state of mind by kicking in endorphins.
Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% what we do with is so by simply accepting the situation we are in, that we have much less opportunity to increase what gives us energy and lightens our moods, we can incorporate little bits of activity into our daily lives that will help us live better and happier lives through the winter. Get creative. Find yourself cubby holes of activity and sunlight along the way.
Another way to increase your energy and mood at anytime of the year, not just during winter, is to make sure you meet as many of your needs as you can. Most of us don’t know what are needs are passed our needs for survival such as food, water, shelter and our physical (sexual) needs. There are several ways to identify some of your needs. You can sort your life into categories then come up with at least one activity you would like to do in that category. For instance, categories you could use could be: creative expression, physical release, emotional release, down time, social time, mental stimulation, trying something new and loose ends. Examples for these categories could be: working on a scrapbook, going for a morning walk, watching your favourite sitcom, 30 minutes lying down with the headphones on, getting together with a friend for tea after supper, reading a chapter or two of a book with your morning coffee, getting a different hair style and cleaning out the closet you’ve been meaning to clean out for the last 2 months. You can even multi-task by identifying activities that can fall under more than one life category, meeting different types of needs. If you are able to keep track and adjust your weekly activity in this way, you will be shifting your life towards a sense of balance, creating a sense of inner contentment, and therefore a higher level of energy and positive attitude.
A second way to work towards meeting your needs is to take a look at the different activity you bring into your life in the warmer, brighter, summer months. Are you replacing those activities with other activities that meet those categories of needs? For example, if you get a lot of benefit from lying in the sun on a moderate, regular basis as a way to meditate and provide yourself with some serious down time, what are you doing in the colder months to replace meeting those needs? If you are physically active with summer events, what activities are you replacing them with in the colder months to provide you with the regular release of endorphins you become accustomed to in the summer?
It is common knowledge that a house plant needs a certain amount of sunlight each day to grow strong and healthy and maintain its usual behaviour. We as human beings, are no different. If you find yourself saying, “I just don’t have time”, think about all the things you “have time” for. Are they activities you consider priorities? Consider this, if you put more value on your self-care and believe it will affect every other part of your life positively and productively, would it then not become a priority? Activity we deem as priority and important, we seem to find the time for. So, why not create little cubby holes of “me time” in your daily life, making sure you treat yourself to little doses of Serotonin and Endorphin along the way? This is just one of the many ways you can learn to take charge of your life.
Embrace the dark days.....
~ Christine Whelan
Another way to increase your energy and mood at anytime of the year, not just during winter, is to make sure you meet as many of your needs as you can. Most of us don’t know what are needs are passed our needs for survival such as food, water, shelter and our physical (sexual) needs. There are several ways to identify some of your needs. You can sort your life into categories then come up with at least one activity you would like to do in that category. For instance, categories you could use could be: creative expression, physical release, emotional release, down time, social time, mental stimulation, trying something new and loose ends. Examples for these categories could be: working on a scrapbook, going for a morning walk, watching your favourite sitcom, 30 minutes lying down with the headphones on, getting together with a friend for tea after supper, reading a chapter or two of a book with your morning coffee, getting a different hair style and cleaning out the closet you’ve been meaning to clean out for the last 2 months. You can even multi-task by identifying activities that can fall under more than one life category, meeting different types of needs. If you are able to keep track and adjust your weekly activity in this way, you will be shifting your life towards a sense of balance, creating a sense of inner contentment, and therefore a higher level of energy and positive attitude.
A second way to work towards meeting your needs is to take a look at the different activity you bring into your life in the warmer, brighter, summer months. Are you replacing those activities with other activities that meet those categories of needs? For example, if you get a lot of benefit from lying in the sun on a moderate, regular basis as a way to meditate and provide yourself with some serious down time, what are you doing in the colder months to replace meeting those needs? If you are physically active with summer events, what activities are you replacing them with in the colder months to provide you with the regular release of endorphins you become accustomed to in the summer?
It is common knowledge that a house plant needs a certain amount of sunlight each day to grow strong and healthy and maintain its usual behaviour. We as human beings, are no different. If you find yourself saying, “I just don’t have time”, think about all the things you “have time” for. Are they activities you consider priorities? Consider this, if you put more value on your self-care and believe it will affect every other part of your life positively and productively, would it then not become a priority? Activity we deem as priority and important, we seem to find the time for. So, why not create little cubby holes of “me time” in your daily life, making sure you treat yourself to little doses of Serotonin and Endorphin along the way? This is just one of the many ways you can learn to take charge of your life.
Embrace the dark days.....
~ Christine Whelan