As another artic chill works its way across the Midwest toward the already frozen East Coast, Americans are bracing for more than just record low temperatures: they're worried about their own ability to cope with more of winter's brutal punishment and it's effectiveness in shutting them in. That's the overwhelming consensus from primary care physicians, psychiatrists and psychologists from areas of the country that have been hit hardest by winter's fury - where they're seeing patients who are experiencing unprecedented increases in anxiety and depression.
Combine these seemingly endless gray days with having to commute to and from work or school in the dark while navigating snow banks and slippery ice traps - all while fighting brutal wind chills that make the cold bite harder - and you have the perfect conditions for inducing a traumatic case of the winter blues.
Jacqueline Olds, of the Harvard Gazette, a psychiatrist and expert on Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), agrees. She explains that dealing with a brutal winter is tough enough but the deep depression and difficult anxiety comes down to the fact that in winter, particularly one this extreme, we don't get enough of the sun's natural light to cue our circadian rhythm to function normally. The decrease in light intensity hitting the retina stimulates the pineal gland to secrete less serotonin, a mood-enhancing hormone; in the face of that shortfall, our bodies are thrown into imbalance and another hormone, melatonin, takes the lead in directing our moods melatonin has the effect of making us feel fatigued, sleepy and ravenous, Jay Fawver, a psychiatrist in Illinois, a state whose residents know a thing or two about dealing with harsh winters, said last winter, according to WANE-TV.
"When your circadian rhythm is out of whack, you feel sluggish, like you wish you were hibernating." adds Olds. "People want to sleep more, eat more - they become less likely to take good care of themselves, less likely to socialize, and less likely to do all of the things that would make them feel better."
"Everyone is talking about how they are feeling from this weather. Patients who have not complained of depression before have been asking about medication," notes Robin Kerner, a psychologist who has experienced a particularly bad winter in New York.
But medication, notes Fawver, is something he's hesitant to recommend for such a temporary condition. He agrees with Kerner who encourages her patients to spend time with friends, become more active in their communities, and to find time for the gym. They should also resist sugar cravings that, if indulged, can create waves of emotional highs and lows that contribute to SAD.
Sufferers may feel relief soon enough thanks to Daylight Savings Time, which falls on March 8 this year. That's when we set our clocks to "spring forward," making it possible to enjoy some extra natural light, the best remedy to fight winter funk. In the meantime, it's best to remember that it always seems darkest before the dawn. Keeping everything in perspective can go a long way toward building mental stamina.
