Depression is a word that in principle we should have a lot of respect. However, we do not always have to associate it with a serious illness. When the day is shorter and temperatures drop, many people feel sad and discouraged. It is what we know as seasonal or winter depression. Overcoming this common disorder is in your power.
Affects women more
When the coldest months of the year arrive, 1 in 10 people feel affected by this type of depression. And its incidence is higher among women, who become 75% of those who suffer from this disorder. Although it is usually mild and temporary in nature, we must not neglect it if we do not want to run the risk that it lasts longer than necessary or ends up degenerating into a more severe condition.
Causes of depression
The hormonal alteration is the cause. To begin to confront this decline, the first step is to understand its causes. When exposure to light decreases, our body reacts by increasing levels of melatonin, a hormone that we secrete during the hours of darkness and that causes us to feel more tired. On the other hand, simultaneously, our levels of serotonin decrease , the hormone that helps us feel more vital and active.
How to combat seasonal depression
- The importance of light. Although we are not very aware of it, sunlight directly influences our mood. To strengthen it, try to adapt your day to the hours of natural light. A good idea is to take advantage of the first hours of the day or the breakfast break to go for a walk. This little everyday gesture will help you recharge your batteries. Likewise, try to take advantage of the weekends to enjoy the energizing power of those activities that can be practiced outdoors.
- Have a good night's sleep. According to traditional Chinese medicine, winter is the season in which we must store more yang energy - the one that keeps us active - and the best way to do this is through rest. Try to maintain a regular number of hours of sleep, lengthening it, if you can, half an hour more compared to the hot months, either at night or taking a small restorative nap.
- It is time to look within. It is true that during this time our body loses energy but, on the other hand, the conditions are conducive to recollection and reflection. Take advantage of these months in which you live more from inside doors to put your ideas and emotions in order, as well as to develop new projects. It can be an ideal time to grow as a person.
- Friends and family, a source of energy. Be careful, because looking within does not mean that you should withdraw into yourself. On the contrary, now you need more than ever to strengthen your bonds. Spending time with the people you love will invigorate you, strengthen your self-esteem, and help dispel your shadows.
- Stimulating the mind makes you feel better. The increase in melatonin, although it takes away energy, favors concentration. Take advantage of it to start new studies that keep you mentally active or to exercise your creativity by writing, painting or doing crafts. Any choice will be good as long as it helps you break the vicious cycle of apathy and negative thoughts.
Identify the symptoms of winter depression
- Physical symptoms Feeling of tiredness, drowsiness, changes in appetite, with an increased desire for sweets and carbohydrates, and recurring headaches.
- Psychic symptoms. Tendency to isolate yourself from others, anxiety, mood swings, irritability, apathy, sadness and disinterest in activities that used to attract you before.
If the symptoms are very acute, they prevent you from carrying out your normal life or, instead of remitting, they extend over time, you need the help of a professional.
4 keys to overcome seasonal depression every day
- Laugh. It's hard when we're feeling low, but its antidepressant effects are worth the effort. Laughter therapy sessions can be very effective.
- Practice exercise. The ideal is to combine cardiovascular work, which will help you release endorphins, with relaxation techniques such as yoga, which harmonize body and mind.
- Listen to music. Its influence on the mood is more than demonstrated. A few minutes a day is a wonderful therapy to strengthen the spirit.
- Surround yourself with color. In winter dark tones dominate. A touch of color in wardrobe and decoration will lift your spirits.
Treatment of depression. Therapies that can help you
- Light therapy. It consists of exposing yourself daily for a few minutes to a special lamp that emits an intense light that reactivates the release of serotonin. You can go to specialized centers or purchase a domestic model.
- Negative ions. They are released by nature through the wind, the sea or the rain. We owe them the feeling of well-being that we usually have after a storm. According to studies from Columbia University (USA), there is a relationship between the high density of these ions and improved mood. You can easily take advantage of its benefits by using ionizing purifiers.
