How I Cope with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Words for the Wanderer
Written By Candice McCoy

Words for the Wanderer

 

Around this time every year - when time change brings darkness far earlier than preferred and the weather turns cold, I find myself feeling down more often than usual. With the onset of the holidays and all the cheer and festivities, it’s easier to ignore for awhile, but once the new year arrives, the trees and lights come down and January settles in, it’s not quite so easy. Can you relate?

In the past,  I would sink deeper and deeper into negativity, and it took me awhile to realize that what I was feeling was real and actually a “thing.” Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a type of depression that sets in due to limited exposure to sunlight and less time outdoors. Giving it a label really helped because I knew I wasn’t crazy, and I became more able to focus on taking action + doing something about it.

We try to spend as much time as possible outside, but the months of January, February and even March some years (last year was a huge snowstorm right when I had started to anticipate spring) get a lot harder. The shorter days make it more difficult in the evenings and overall it’s more challenging to spend long hours out when it’s super cold.

But lately, when I feel those familiar blues coming on, I’ve been trying to get ahead of it by taking action right away. Getting in the car and taking a drive, turning on some music or calling my sister can help, but I find that the most helpful remedy is bundling up and getting outside, no matter the weather.

A few Sundays ago, I found myself in exactly this situation and luckily it was an abnormally warm afternoon. So I grabbed a couple of kids (happened to be Elo + Vi) and desperately set out on foot. Pretty soon we ended up at one of our favorite spots.  A green space right in the middle of town, this little park is a peaceful reprieve from the city, with boulder sized red rocks on one side that lead down to a trickling creek.  We love going down, kicking off our shoes and pretending we’re in the middle of Arches National Park with nothing but powder blue sky above and vast expanses all around.  Our happy place.

As I sat and watched the girls, flitting around like little gnomes - bare feet and wild hair - I marveled at how they come alive when playing in nature.  Jumping from one stone to another and another until she was on the other bank, Elo was on cloud nine.  One second she was scaling the rocks just down the way from me and the next - squishing mud between her toes before dashing back into the cold water with a squeal.

I couldn’t help but wonder - when do we lose sight of the joy of playing in nature?  Of movement.  The crisp breeze. The sun glancing off our backs. Each of my kids lights up like a Christmas tree when they’re outside…and the effect nature and play have on them is glaring.  So when did we decide we don’t need that anymore?  That we’re too old, too busy or too out of shape?

A study completed by The Nature of Americans found that 60% of Americans say they spend 5 hours or less out in nature each week.  5 hours!  As a kid growing up in the 90’s, I spent much of my time roaming the woods, building forts and clearing trails like it was my job.  But somewhere down the line - maybe in college - I lost that connection a bit and sort of shelved my love for adventuring outside.  Since getting older and feeling the stress of adulting/parenting, stress and anxiety relief has become a key goal.  On those days when I start to feel the headache and overthinking and low feelings creeping up, I’ve learned that movement and the outdoors are super accessible remedies for stress. It’s like something just snaps inside me and I know it’s a matter of urgency to get some fresh hair and feel the sun.  But it took awhile to get to that point of realization.

Research has even shown that not only does being in nature reduce unpleasant feelings such as anger, fear or stress, but even just sitting by a plant or window or looking at pictures of nature has an impact on our emotional well being.  Pretty incredible, right?  As I sat on my rock, watching energy and happiness radiate out of my girl, I couldn’t help but feel compelled to join her.  Scaling the rock while by way of some branches, I made my way down to the water and we leapt from stone to stone, forging a path across the creek and then “accidentally” falling in with a cold splash.  It was just what our souls needed, and I honestly could have stayed there all day.

How often do you spend time in nature?  Have you found it to make an impact on your mental or physical health?  Do you experience SAD during the winter months? What kind of outdoor activities are your favorite?  Water draws me in like a magnet and puts all my senses at ease, so anything near the ocean or a lake is a top pick and I try to incorporate it every day to build up my reserves, especially in the winter.  SAD is something I struggle with every winter season, mainly because - as a midwesterner -  there are days that adventuring in the stream is not as much of an option!  While we can't control everything about our environment, we can do whatever possible with what we have and always be on the lookout for more ways to bring nature back into our lives.

From the Blog

Candice McCoy

Candice McCoy is the founder + editor of The Great Wanderlust.
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