It's normal to feel a little down after the holidays. No more Christmas presents to look forward to, New Year's Eve celebrations are once again a year away. And the weather isn't helping as well. Blue Monday is approaching, supposedly the saddest day of the year. That's the third Monday of January, and this year it's the 15th.
Why is that day so depressive? It's the combination of long dark nights, bad weather and the lingering aftermath of the holiday season. Regional Director of Psychology Services (Midlands) at Cygnet Health Care Matthew Gill writes that "January Blues manifests itself as feelings of low mood, sadness, lack of motivation, tiredness and low energy."
January also means it's the peak time of Seasonal Affective Disorder, a more severe type of depression than the "Winter Blues." People afflicted with SAD might start feeling depressive episodes during the months with less sun. Experts advise not to write off feeling down, less energetic and just generally moody to simple winter blues.
A mental health expert at News In Health Dr. Matthew Rudorfer writes about the differences between simple winter blues and SAD. "Winter blues is a general term, not a medical diagnosis. It's fairly common, and it's more mild than serious. It usually clears up on its own in a fairly short amount of time," Dr. Rudorfer claims.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), however, is different. It's not just the 'winter blahs’. "It's a well-defined clinical diagnosis that's related to the shortening of daylight hours," according to Rudorfer. "It interferes with daily functioning over a significant period of time."
Naturally, it's more common in the northern parts of the world. The US is no exception. "In Florida, only about 1% of the population is likely to suffer from SAD. But in the northernmost parts of the US, about 10% of people in Alaska may be affected," Rudorfer told NIH.
Licensed psychologist Jordan Fiorillo Scotti, Ph.D. gave Psychology Today some tips on how to avoid the winter blues. Her first suggestion is to shower and get dressed. However tempting it may be to walk around in the same sweatpants the whole weekend, Scotti writes that scented body soaps and shampoos have an energizing effect. And dressing up in comfortable or attractive clothes might make us feel more productive.
Organizing your environment is the second tip. When we're in an unkempt space, it makes us feel like we're not in control, Scotti writes. If it's hard to start, try doing just one thing – either load the dishwasher or do the laundry. The psychologist claims that it's "enough to remind us that we can change our circumstances and instill a sense of hope."
