"The Winter Blues are exceptionally normal, with many of us experiencing mood shifts during the colder, darker long periods of winter.
You may find yourself feeling progressively sluggish and down with the short amount of daylight hours. Despite the fact that you might feel a bit gloomier than expected, Winter Blues are typically short lived and don"t stymie your daily activities.
However, on the off chance that your winter blues start penetrating all parts of your life, be it working, daily activities, or daily social interactions, you might be challenged with something known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), more commonly known as Winter Blues. A visit to your Primary Care Provider (PCP) will determine this diagnosis and can provide remedies and/or medications to help overcome this disorder.
Here are a few things that might clue you in about this disorder normally associated with the Fall and Winter months, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. Most importantly if you believe you are experiencing persistent SAD, please go talk to your PCP.
Recognizing the signs:
The most well-known side effects of the Winter Blues are general sadness and an absence of Energy. However, and unfortunately, for our elderly family and friends, SAD is more prominent. Here are a few indicators to look out for to see if they are affected, and if you believe they are, might be a good idea to schedule an appointment with their PCP.
Shivering or feel a chill, in any event, when others in a similar situation feel totally fine.
The skin can turn pale
They tire out rapidly
They have more trouble sleeping and staying asleep
Feeling less social than expected
Not out and about as they normally would be
As we progressively age, it"s commonly known that metabolism is greatly reduced. Generating enough body heat to keep them comfortable increasingly becomes more challenging. As a result, loosing body heat quicker spirals into not wanting to go out and about for a light walk around the block, or to head to the grocery store.
Changes in Sleeping habits:
Throughout the Winter, the amount of sunshine is greatly reduced. This can make anybody feel drowsy and feel more tired. Getting additional rest isn't an issue until napping turns into a huge part of your day.
It"s important to keep a regular sleep schedule for a variety of reasons, but in the Winter, this is especially true. The goal is to prevent SAD and making sure that a regular sleep schedule can be one way to do so.
Setting a timer and/or alarm clock on your tablet, or latest electronic gizmo for when it"s close to getting ready for bed really helps with the daily routine of making sure you will get enough sleep. It"s just another way of preventing SAD.
By making shifts to your routine to adjust for the weather, eating healthy, staying active, and getting more sunlight exposure, can make a huge difference in not falling into the Winter Blues trap, if at all.
So, get up and go my friends, stay active, eat healthy, and visit friends"
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