What is Winter Blue
Especially with the arrival of the winter months and the early darkening, people may start to feel more depressed. Feeling blue can appear as a very common mental well-being problem at this time of year. But making the right definition of feeling blue is very important to eliminate this negative mood. Feeling blue can also be caused by seasonal depression, which is a form of depression, or it can be caused by the winter sadness brought by cold and dark weather. If you suffer from seasonal depression or winter blues, you are not helpless or alone!
What is Seasonal Depression
Seasonal depression is defined as the feeling of melancholy and not being able to find energy for the work done in the normal routine, especially starting in the autumn months, and continuing in the winter months. Winter blues, which is a milder version of seasonal depression, is also quite common among people, but if this winter sadness has begun to affect a person’s daily life, at this point it can be called depression. Generally, with the warming of the weather and the arrival of spring, the person’s mood and mental energy begin to return to normal. About 5% of adults in the US experience seasonal depression. It tends to start in young adulthood (usually between the ages of 18 and 30). Seasonal depression affects women more than men. About 10% to 20% of people in America experience winter blues, which is the milder version of seasonal depression.
One of the most important causes of seasonal depression or winter blues is vitamin D and iron deficiency. With the arrival of winter, vitamin D or iron deficiency in our body can cause long-term sleep, energy deprivation, and feeling unhappy.
Seasonal Depression Symptoms
– Sadness, feeling depressed most of the day, almost every day.
– Anxiety.
– Increase in carbohydrate cravings and weight gain.
– Extreme fatigue and lack of energy.
– Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness.
– Difficulty concentrating.
– Loss of interest in generally pleasurable activities, including withdrawal from social activities.
– Sleep problems (usually oversleeping).
– Thoughts of death or suicide.
Tips For Seasonal Depression
– Spending time outside and exposing yourself to daylight
– Creating a morning routine
– Not giving up on socializing
– Take a vitamin D supplement
– Meditate
– Engaging in physical activities
– Going to therapy and benefiting from cognitive behavioral therapy or light therapy.
Would you like to try meditation to cope with the winter blues? You can download Innerjoy from the Apple Store or Google Play and start your meditation practice right away!