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The dark season is upon us! How are you coping with the ‘winter blues’?
Summer is over for this year. We are now in the final month of autumn. Winter has arrived in full force, with the first snowfall on the very day we changed the clocks to winter time at the end of October. The days are getting shorter and the nights longer in the Nordic region until the winter solstice in December.
Some people have already started joking that they’re feeling the ‘winter blues’, but most actually mean that they experience depression-like feelings, winter fatigue or winter malaise during the transition from summer to autumn and winter. However, there are some who react much more strongly and seriously, to the extent that this negatively affects how they function on a daily basis. Studies show that 5–10 per cent of the population struggles with winter depression every year to a greater or lesser extent.
Light regulates our circadian rhythm and influences the body’s biological clock. It therefore plays a vital role in determining when we should sleep or be awake. Light is essential for maintaining the correct levels of melatonin, serotonin and cortisol in the body, and it also aids the production of vitamin D. Less light leads to more tiredness and low mood!
The brain and the retina in the eye release a hormone known as ‘melatonin’ in the evening and at night. Melatonin induces sleep! When nights are longer during the dark season, more melatonin is produced. This makes us feel more tired even during the day. On the other hand, we know that daylight stimulates the production of serotonin, which affects our mood. During the dark season, a lack of daylight can actually trigger low mood. Sufficient and appropriate levels of cortisol give us energy and make us feel alert. Why some people react more strongly to a lack of light than others is difficult to say, but one might imagine an underlying biological vulnerability. However, how one relates to and copes with the dark season can also play an important role in how biological vulnerability factors manifest themselves.
Winter depression (seasonal affective disorder) is defined as recurrent depressive episodes that begin and improve at roughly the same time of year for at least three years.
The typical characteristics of winter depression are:
Low mood/depressive thoughts
Lack of energy/ Fatigue
Lack of motivation
Increased need for sleep, feeling unrested during the day
Increased appetite (especially for sweets), leading to weight gain
Reduced desire to socialise
Reduced sex drive
For it to be classified as winter depression, these symptoms must be so severe that you struggle to function in everyday life at home, at work/school and in your social life.
You can prevent and/or improve winter depression on your own. If necessary, seek professional help!
*Light therapy is the first-line treatment for winter depression; a minimum of 30 minutes daily at a light intensity of 10,000 lux for 1–2 weeks. The effects are noticeable within the first few days. Light in the morning immediately after waking is most effective for those who feel very tired in the morning and sleep late into the day. For those who struggle with waking up early in the morning, light therapy in the evening is recommended. You may experience slight eye irritation and headaches during the first few days, but these will disappear with exposure to daylight.
* Ensure there is sufficient lighting in your surroundings. Unfortunately, daytime electricity prices do not support this measure. Use candles for both light and warmth.
* Ensure good sleep hygiene.
* Get out and about in daylight.
* Plan social events with family and friends in advance. These should not be extensive or demanding, but something that can get you out of your ‘cave’ and bring you joy.
*If you have the opportunity to seek out the light in the south and get some sun, make the most of it. Solariums have no effect.
*Do not hesitate to contact your GP or a specialist (psychiatrist/psychologist) so that medication and/or talk therapy can be considered.