Warding off the winter blues!

Unlike Seasonal Affective Disorder – which occurs when a person experiences depressive symptoms for a lengthy period, with an established link between the onset of seasons and depressive symptoms – the winter blues do not require clinical interventions or treatments.

Instead, the blues come to the fore because a person is receiving less exposure to sunlight, which is often associated with an increased release of serotonin – the magic little gem that makes us feel happier. In a nutshell, people may have low mood symptoms due to the colder and darker conditions during winter.

For someone like me who loves the dry heat of a South Australian summer, there is a feeling of dread when Daylight Savings ends and the dreary cold weather starts to make its presence felt. Discussing my winter woes with a friend, who also happens to be a psychologist, I discovered I am not alone in my battle with the cold weather.

As Dr Stacey McCallum, Clinical Psychologist and Director at Elevate Psychology Collective in Adelaide revealed, feeling down in the dumps due to the cold months is a common experience amongst people living in the cooler parts of Australia, and can affect anyone of any age or socio-economic status.

“In my experience, adolescents and the elderly are most susceptible for the ‘winter blues’ and often report feeling limited by the cool and darker weather,” she said.

The good news is there are several ways to battle the blues, with Stacey sharing her top five tips. First on her list is the need for people to focus on regular exercise, and outdoors if possible.

“Exercise is one of the best things we can do for our mental health,” Stacey explained.

“Regular exercise is an excellent way to improve mood. Exercising outdoors – for example, a walk on your lunch break outside in nature – is a great way to exercise whilst exposing yourself to sunlight and the beauty of outdoors.”

Second is prioritising being out and about, as social connectedness is “vital for mental health and mood”.

“It can be tempting to skip the social catch-ups in the colder months for a preference to stay warm and inside, but make sure you keep social catch-ups regular and stay connected to friends and family,” Stacey advised.

Another suggestion is staying motivated by setting yourself regular goals and maintaining routine and structure in your day.

“When we achieve something regularly in our day, we are more self-driven and feel a sense of purpose, which is linked to positive mental health,” Stacey added.

Speaking from experience, a big one is resisting the urge to oversleep or lay in bed on a cold winter’s day with a book or tablet.

“This can be associated with a reduction in sleep quantity and sleep quality which in turn, can affect mood,” Stacey cautioned. “Make sure to practice good sleep hygiene like a set wake and bedtimes, using your bed just for sleep and avoiding oversleeping or naps.”

Lastly, Stacey said it was important to get outside at some point during the day, regardless of the weather.

“It’s hard to go outside when it’s cold and wet but it’s not impossible. Invest in a warm winter jacket and raincoat; you can still go for that walk in the park in the rain.”

And of course, while the winter blues are a short-term thing, Stacey stressed if you’re worried that your daily functioning and wellbeing are affected by your mood symptoms for a prolonged period, it is important to seek appropriate support and help.

With those tips in hand, everyone should be well equipped to get through this winter, but for some their solution is far easier, they just get of town to somewhere warm.

For those who can afford it, basking in the northern hemisphere summer is definitely a good way to escape the Australian winter – but be mindful you won’t be the only tourist there! Many also opt for one of the relaxing cruises departing from Australia and heading north to warmer climates.

Domestically there are some great locations within Australia that offer plenty of warmth.

Tourism Australia promotes several ‘warm’ destinations, including the Northern Territory which enjoys its dry season from May to October, or perhaps the more remote Kimberley region of Western Australia is more appealing. The mild temperatures and low humidity make winter a perfect time to visit the Great Barrier Reef and the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coasts are always popular choices for those who like the sun and surf.

Whichever course of action you decide to take to get through this winter it might be helpful if you adopt one of my strategies – look at the calendar and count down the days as September, and the start of spring, is not too far away!

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