From SAD to Cozy: Coping with Seasonal Changes

This post explores how the darker days and fading light that arrive with autumn, and intensify in the coming winter months, can impact our well-being. It also highlights a few coping strategies to lean in rather than surrender to the effects of seasonal shifts. New posts in the Mind Body Spirit series, are published every Saturday at noon.

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Earlier this year I moved to the DC area from Arizona and hadn't realized how much I missed the fall spectacle of gold and orange leaves slowly cascading off trees. In Arizona, we welcome the end of 100-degree days. So do the "snowbirds" who arrive each year to follow the sun until spring beckons them back home.

Beyond appreciating the curled edges of drying leaves crunching under foot, I also love autumn for its embrace of pumpkin-inspired décor and pumpkin-flavored food and drinks. The Food Network this year offered its collection of 65 pumpkin-based recipes, from the more novel pumpkin lasagna rolls to that reliable favorite: pumpkin pie. As the article notes, "It wouldn't be fall without pumpkin everything!" Personally I couldn't wait for the return of the pumpkin spice latte, and renew my shock at what this autumnal addiction costs me.

Fall also welcomes back our favorite TV shows, with premiers of new seasons that end their summer vacations as well. I also relish unpacking my favorite sweaters and suede booties, rescuing them from their months-long exile at the back of my closet. As a "true autumn," after having my colors analyzed last year, I start noticing how everyone seems to be wearing my wardrobe's palette after Labor Day. (Stay tuned for an upcoming post and video about the benefits of color analysis to simplify your wardrobe and brighten your outlook.)

Having grown up in the Midwest, I know well what comes after falling leaves and pumpkin mania. Perhaps skiers and snowmobilers are among the few who welcome the drop in temperatures and the sight of snow, heaven-sent or man-made. Or those who like making snowmen on their front lawns, with carrots for noses and sticks for arms.

For the rest of us, the cooler days of autumn, and the chillier days of winter that follow, send signals to our bodies that can trigger harmful responses. We slow down, become less active. We find ourselves indoors more, burrowing under a warm blanket in front of a crackling fire to stay warm. Ok, that's a Hallmark movie. Lacking a fireplace, just put on a long-playing video and pretend!

The point is that we start to think our bodies are not ours to control. We become convinced that cold winds and germ-laden sneezes are out to get us. We prepare to hunker down for the next few months and hope our constitutions are strong enough to get us through to spring.

What's happening is that two phenomena are simultaneously impacting our sense of well-being: falling temperatures and fading light. Both can adversely affect our immune systems. The combination makes us more vulnerable to "seasonal illnesses" such as colds and flus. Don't even get me started on dry skin.

If that isn't enough to darken our mood, there's weight gain from having a more sluggish metabolism. Watching our weight after the spooky fun of Halloween falls away (and we polished off all that candy), is made more difficult with the onset of the holiday season. That's when we really cut loose with some heavyweight feasting. (I'll address that issue in my November 23rd post.)

We don't have to be victims of the weather or the lack of light. Our homemade remedies, whether feasting on comfort foods or bingeing on social media, are ways we soothe the symptoms of this emerging malaise. Shaming ourselves for turning to these quick "fixes" only compounds any growing sense of isolation.

What impacts our bodies of course also infects our minds and further darkens our spirit. Not the kind featured in endless loops of holiday music we'll hear for the next six weeks. But a spirt that's more of a guiding light emanating from deep within us, where we hold space for solace and create a sanctuary for sacred wisdom.

So, let's explore a few options that might help us be more consistent and confident in how we approach self care in the months ahead.

Here comes the sun!

We can learn a lot from those who live through extreme cases of cold and dark conditions as the seasons change. Despite having as little as five hours of daylight in many parts of Scandinavia, and tolerating the cold weather enough to spend time in "icebars," they're among the happiest people in the world. (Check out these ice-crafted drinks served at the Hotel C Stockholm.)

In other words, Scandinavians often figure: if we can't beat it, lean into it!

That's not to say Nordic peoples aren't susceptible to SAD, seasonal affective disorder or seasonal depression. It's a condition that's woven into their cultural zeitgeist, but they prepare for its arrival and take bold action to keep it from overwhelming their otherwise positive natures.

In general, those diagnosed with SAD may suffer from low energy, sleepiness, changes in appetite, and feelings of hopelessness, among other symptoms. The best treatment often involves light therapy. These lamps are widely available online or in stores throughout areas that experience darker winters, including much of North America.

According to Jake Choiniere, a psychiatrist at Providence Swedish hospital, light treatment involves "a special kind of full spectrum lamp that delivers at least 10,000 lux light intensity, every morning, for 20-30 minutes a day," as quoted in a popular Swedish health blog.

To learn more about the pros and cons of light therapy, check out Healthline Media, a reputable, free online source located in the US. Or watch this brief video from the Mayo Clinic.

What needs attention involves our circadian rhythms, a type of biological clock that triggers our bodies to release chemicals and hormones that energize our days and induce sleep once it's dark outside. Shorter days force are bodies to adapt, but sometimes they need help.

Hygge: creating a home that hugs

Another lesson we can learn from Scandinavians, particularly from the Danes, is the concept of hygge (pronounced hoo-gah), which is actually a Norwegian word that describes a sense of well-being. It's become a global movement and joins the ranks of other cultural exports that later get adopted and adapted to suit local needs.

A quick check of Pinterest (including this site's under Mindful Living) or online bookstores can testify to the hundreds of variations that basically honor the winning concept.

Meik Wiking, author of "The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets of Happy Living," also the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute, offers a comprehensive explanation.

Hygge is more of a holistic concept and attitude toward life that encapsulates what Danes value most. A penchant for equality and the rejection of discord in favor of tolerance and community. It urges us to be grateful for simple pleasures, to aim to reuse and recycle rather than to buy new, to invest in public spaces (especially those that are green), and to respect an individual's right to privacy.

Above all, it's about seeking balance and a sense of purpose, for ourselves and communities at large. No wonder they're happy people. Hygge is a manifesto for living a richly rewarding life year-round. It's especially true for how to survive the winter months when we're up against Mother Nature.

Miking advises us to create cozy spaces. To incorporate natural elements (wood surfaces, green plants, wooly textures) and pay close attention to lighting. That doesn't mean the Danes turn up all the lights and blind themselves happy. They enjoy creating nooks equipped with soft, ambient lighting just as much as choosing a window seat to bask in the available daylight, however diffused.

I laughed out loud at Wiking's description of the importance of creating a "Viking proof seat" in our homes to make us feel safe and secure. He speaks of surviving today's turbulent times, but he draws on a collective, ancient memory of living in a land that was home to some of the most fierce and iconic invaders in history.

If the above ideas don't work, there's always hibernation, a winter time-out for some types of mammals, including bears, bats, and groundhogs. That last species is now famously disturbed from its stupor every February 2 by the people of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to predict how much longer winter will last.

Scientists are increasingly studying if aspects of hibernation could benefit homo sapiens, otherwise known as us humans.

Think like a bear?

We're most familiar with bears as examples of hibernators. Contrary to our most common assumption about what they do in winter, they don't actually sleep. But they do lie still enough to slow down their metabolic states and stop performing most of their bodily functions. Their breathing and heart rates slow down to allow them to conserve as much energy as possible. Hibernation can last from two to five months, depending on their geography and habitats.

Although humans can't really pull off full-blown hibernation, many scientists are exploring the benefits of inducing some form of it to help "treat cardiac arrest ... [and[ boost longevity."

"Humans may retain the biological mechanisms to trigger aspects of hibernation," notes Antonio Sortino in New Scientist magazine. Hibernation, which allows for brain-signaling pathways to become dormant, could be used to "combat conditions that plague modern humans, including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and heart attack."

Sandy Martin, a researcher with the University of Colorado offers, "The common ancestor of all mammals was a hibernator," thus it's possible we have inherited this "genetic hardware."

Check out these "fun facts" about hibernating bears from a non-profit affiliate of Yellowstone National Park. Writers there also tout medical benefits, including possibly "preventing osteoporosis and Type II diabetes," along with helping those who suffer from kidney failure. If that wasn't promising enough, scientists are investigating how hibernation can prolong the viability of human organs for transplant.

Bears start preparing for the process in the fall. They start eating excessively, which is a process called hyperphagia, "sort of like humans at Thanksgiving, but lasting several weeks." They eat up to 20,000 calories and gain up to three pounds a day. Those stores of fat will help them get through winter. Humans can hardly claim their holiday bingeing serves the same purpose!

Using our bodies to combat melancholy

Until scientists figure out how we humans can yield hibernation-like benefits, there's is always plain old exercise. First, it may offset the effects of "human hyperphagia" that we'll be trying out during the holidays ahead! Second, it's one of the treatments for SAD and a proactive way to stave off the winter blues.

Any movement helps boost our metabolism and lift our moods. Most of us grasp just how important exercise is for whatever ails us year-round. But it's especially valuable during the months ahead.

Do it indoors or go outside. Try dancing, join a gym, bundle up and take a walk, take a dog (or borrow one) to keep you company. Pet owners already know how much these furry creatures can contribute to our mental health. If big enough, they can also keep us warm.

Above all, wellness gurus stress the need to stay social. Even if you don't live near a Swedish ice bar, there are plenty of places to connect on a regular basis with friends and family. It's a strong deterrent against seasonal afflictions. Don't wait for the coming holidays to be with your people.

Or use Meet-Up to find some new ones. Use Zoom or FaceTime to connect with loved ones who live far away. I have to rely on these methods to stay in touch with friends n Arizona and Michigan. It's not ideal, but our friendships matter so we make it work. As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine and even across the miles, it works wonders for the soul.

If you need help with anything that was shared in this blog, book a discovery call below. Remember I'm here to listen and help you map your path forward.

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