Are you feeling foggy and groggy in the morning?
It’s time to turn on the lights.
The days are getting shorter; as of the end of October, we have about 101/4 hours of daylight. At the winter solstice, we only see the sun for about 81/2 hours! It gets pretty dark around here.
I came to the Northwest 31 years ago in July and was immediately captivated by the long, sunny days of summer. The western sky would still be glowing at 10 p.m., which was enchanting. However, when autumn arrived, I quickly noticed that the sun would set a lot sooner than before. By November, the hours of daylight were significantly reduced.
My first December in the Northwest left me feeling groggy and foggy in the mornings. It’s no wonder we consider ourselves the coffee capital of the West. I looked like one of our gray days and had put on a couple of pounds from all the lovely scones I was eating along with my two lattes a day. It all happened so slowly that I didn’t even realize I was experiencing symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the symptoms of SAD build up slowly in autumn (that’s now!) and early winter and can include increased appetite, weight gain, increased sleep, less energy, difficulty concentrating, loss of interest in work and other activities, and irritability. Some researchers believe that the shorter days change our circadian rhythms (wake/sleep cycles) and affect the melatonin production in our brains. Our ancient cousins spent more time outdoors than modern North Americans. A lot of us become couch potatoes in the winter months.
What can Northwesterners do? I went out and bought a dawn simulator. It’s a globe on top of a clock. The globe starts glowing 30 minutes before the alarm goes off and gets brighter over time. If the light doesn’t wake me up (which it almost always does), the alarm will go off. Waking up to the light seems to get me going and I don’t feel foggy. I have been using the same device for 30 years.
Several years ago, I noticed that even with my trusty dawn simulator, I was feeling low energy later in the day. I bought a bright light (should be 10,000 lux) called a “happy light” and started using it. I sit in front of it for 30 minutes or longer a day, usually in the morning, while reading the newspaper. Sometimes, I will turn it on at night when I’m reading.
I’ve learned that to get the best result with either the dawn simulator or the bright light, it’s important to start now rather than wait for the winter doldrums to set in. Also, make sure to exercise during the winter and get outside as much as you can. That could also make a difference, too. If you find yourself falling into a deeper depression, be sure to see your primary care provider to see which treatment, or combinations of treatments is best for you.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
Paul Schoenfeld is a clinical psychologist at The Everett Clinic. His Family Talk blog can be found at www. everettclinic.com/ healthwellness-library.html.
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