A WALK IN THE PARK Shedding light on wintertime blues

The winter season is here and brings with it fewer daylight hours, more gray skies and colder, sometimes downright miserable weather.

For most of us, that means we spend more time indoors and are less active than during warmer seasons of the year. These are all factors that contribute to the significant increase in people who experience feelings of gloominess, sometimes referred to as “the wintertime blues.”

Feeling a little down and out during winter is fairly common and, although bothersome, symptoms are often mild and can be diminished by making a few changes in daily routine.

A significant change in mood that coincides with changes in seasons is officially called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and millions of Americans are afflicted each year. Although it may occur more frequently in northern regions where winter stretches out over a longer period of time, SAD affects people in all areas where seasonal changes cause a decrease in exposure to sunshine.

Being one who can relate to feeling a little blase’ during a long, cold winter, I was interested to read tips from others on ways to beat the milder forms of wintertime blues. Getting outside as much as possible along with exercising and eating a healthy diet were some of the more obvious suggestions. When indoors, open curtains or sit by a window, preferably with something interesting to watch - such as a bird feeder - within view. Soaking up sunshine in other ways, such as taking a drive on a sunny winter day may also be helpful.

Setting goals for yourself, finding something to look forward to, learning a new skill and looking for ways to help others also tend to brighten our outlooks.

Showering first thing in the morning and getting dressed was advised on one Web site, even for those who don’t have any place to go right away. Pajama days are probably not the best way to ward off the wintertime doldrums.

Others agree that laughter is the best medicine and suggested watching a funny show or movie. Listening to upbeat music is another good idea. Listening to the blues while feeling blue likely won’t help any.

Adding warm colors - bright yellow and reds - around the home, using citrus or fruity air fresheners to simulate smells of summer, getting indoor plants that bloom during the winter months, and even tanning with sunless tanning products were all suggested as ways to make us feel that summertime is not so far away.

Keeping socially active was also an obvious recommendation.

These ideas might help someone with a slight case of wintertime blues but may not be enough for everyone. For the millions that experience more intense symptoms of SAD, such as fatigue, low energy level, tendency to sleep too much, social withdrawal and other signs of depression, more intervention is needed.Common treatments include medication and sometimes the use of a light box. A light box is prescribed to be used for a relatively short period a day and makes the body feel like it has gotten some missing sunshine.

A dawn simulator is also sometimes used. For this, dim lights are programmed to come on before the person wakes up and then gradually become brighter.

So, if you are one of the millions who find yourself feeling a little blue during the winter months, take action. Get up, get out and get moving. Do things that are good for you and that make you feel more positive. Play a little.

If making a few changes doesn’t do the trick, see a doctor. Winter can be a wonderful time of the year and it doesn’t have to steal your sunshine.

Annette Rowe is a freelance writer and a speechlanguage pathologist at Siloam Springs High School. She may be reached by email at awalkinthepark50 @ yahoo.com.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 12/08/2010