It’s that time of year again – the winter doldrums are just setting in and many of parents, and their kids, are struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder. With that pesky groundhog recently making his appearance and predicting the ever-typical long winter, it’s time to find some solutions to alleviate the yearly visit of the Winter Blues.
What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder? SAD, as it’s so appropriately called, affects one in five Americans. It looks and appears just like typical depression but is differentiated by the seasonal cycles it takes – coming on slowly in autumn, alleviating in spring. If you are dragging, just feel no motivation to get much done, if you’re eating or sleeping patterns have changed with the seasons and you find yourself more sensitive and emotional, you may suffer from SAD
So what’s the solution? Spring, of course! But since we have yet to figure out how to travel into the future, there are a few things we can do to alleviate the symptoms of SAD for ourselves and our children.
One of the most effective therapies for SAD is light therapy. Full spectrum lights can be purchased at health food stores and other specialty stores as well as online. Sitting in front of these lights for two hours a day can greatly increase one’s moods during the winter months. If this is not an option, many people swear by simply spending more time outdoors – a solution that will help both kids and their parents. The sun’s rays will help your mood and the fresh air is good for everyone’s spirits and warding off winter germs as well. Bundle up and enjoy a walk through the cold winter air! Studies have shown that walking for 30 minutes at dawn, specifically, can greatly contribute to a rise in mood.
Another tip is to make sure your house is as bright as possible during the early morning hours. Increase the wattage of your light bulbs and turn on many lights before your family heads out for the day. The idea is to trick our bodies into believing they are experiencing more daylight hours than are present during this time of year. And studies have shown that it helps.
Yoga is another therapeutic technique that has been shown to alleviate SAD symptoms. Children love yoga and will love joining their parents in a few daily poses. Not only do a few yoga poses actually have an affect on the pineal gland (responsible for seasonal and circadian rhythms) but yoga, overall, feeds us energy which definitely can’t hurt!
Another tip is to increase your milk intake. Kids will love having chocolate milk with breakfast! Theory has it that seritol, available in milk, may increase stimulating hormones that keep our internal clocks in check. It’s just a theory, but it can’t hurt!
Keep a regular sleep schedule. This is very important. You can’t control the sun but you will only be making your body clock even more out of whack by playing around with your sleep routines. You might really want to sleep in on weekends, but wake up the kids and hit the trails instead – you will all be happier and more rejuvenated for it!
Last but definitely not least, if you or your children are seriously depressed you should always consult your family physician. Some cases of SAD do require medication to manage and any depression should be diagnosed by a trained medical professional.