What are the winter blues?
Looking out the window at the cold grey sky and the snow on the ground, you sense a feeling of sadness welling up inside of you. Letting out a sigh, you turn from the window and drop down in a chair. You have no desire or energy to do too much of anything. If you’re one of the thousands of people who feel this way when winter rolls around, you might be suffering from the winter blues.
The winter blues are a seasonal affective disorder whereby people of normal mental health throughout the rest of the year go through certain mood changes when the seasons change.
Winter Blues - The Symptoms
The classic symptoms of the winter blues are very similar in nature to those of other depressive mood disorders:
A change in sleep patterns -- sleeps too much or too little
Low energy levels
A craving for sweets and starchy foods
Feelings of sadness
Less activity
No pleasure in normally highly-anticipated activities
Feelings of confusion
Possible mood swingsIn severe cases, feelings of suicide may arise.
Researches believe one possible cause of the winter blues is a depletion of serotonin, which is chemical in the brain responsible for mood regulation. The more serotonin you have, the happier you’re going to feel. In the winter months, when the days get shorter, the body secretes more protein in the brain, which soaks up this serotonin, causing a drop in mood and an onset of the winter blues.
