Mary Fristad is a professor of psychiatry, psychology and nutrition at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. She contributed this article to LiveScience's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.As the old holiday
favorite goes, 'tis the season to be jolly, but I've found that not
everyone feels joy in their hearts and minds during this time of year.
As a mood disorders specialist at The Ohio State University Wexner
Medical Center, I often treat people who are suffering from the "holiday
blues."With the hustle and bustle of preparing for the holidays
,
the extra stress and strain can often cause people to feel sad and
depressed. Sometimes these so-called holiday blues may be caused in part
by seasonal affective disorder (SAD),
which is a biologically driven condition that occurs throughout the
winter months when people's daily body rhythms are out of sync with the
sun. Lack of sunlight
accounts for the majority of the more than 10 million Americans who
are affected by SAD each year, and another 25 million-plus have a lesser
form known as the "winter blues." In addition to the lack of sunlight,
the holiday blues can be triggered by a variety of factors, such as:
- Grieving the loss of a loved one — parent, child, sibling or spouse.
- Coping with a change of circumstances, perhaps from the loss of a job or a serious illness.
- Having unrealistic expectations of a "picture perfect" holiday in the midst of financial, family or work troubles, or other tension.
- Stressing out because of too many demands for time or money.
- Disrupting normal patterns of eating, entertaining, exercising, working and sleeping.
-
We often just have too many demands of our time right now. Suddenly we have shopping
-
So what I recommend is a combination of strategies to help
- Scheduling "down time" to allow yourself to relax, pray, meditate or laugh. (If you don't laugh about it, you might cry or shout!)
- Reframing your expectations so that they are more realistic of what can actually be accomplished with the time, money and energy you have this year.
- Creating traditions that work for you, instead of a storybook version you've envisioned.
- For those who are grieving loved ones, consider celebrating the deceased by creating a meaningful ritual, such as lighting a candle by the person's picture, writing a letter to the loved one, or gathering family and friends together to share special memories of that person.
As we head into the New Year, consider making resolutions to improve healthy habits, starting with getting enough sleep. Each person has a different need for the right amount of sleep. Listen to, and respect your body's needs. When we are sleep deprived, we crave sugar and fat, tend to overeat, are low on energy and are often irritable and short-tempered. With enough sleep, it is easier to eat healthfully, exercise regularly and maintain a positive outlook on life.
Most importantly, be patient with yourself and others now — we are all going the through the holidays together, and you and I are not the only ones feeling the intensity.
- A number of factors, including unrealistic expectations, financial pressures, and too many commitments can cause stress at holiday time.
- Certain people may feel depressed around the winter holidays due toseasonal affective disorder (SAD), sometimes referred to as seasonal depression.
- Headaches, excessive drinking, overeating, and insomnia are some of the possible consequences of poorly managed holiday stress.
- Those suffering from any type of holiday depression or stress can benefit from increased social support during this time of year. Counseling or support groups can also be beneficial.
- In addition to being an important step in preventing the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, regular exposure to light that is bright, particularly fluorescent lights, significantly improves depression in people with SAD during the fall and winter.
- Setting realistic goals and expectations, reaching out to friends, sharing tasks with family members, finding inexpensive ways to enjoy yourself, and helping others are all ways to help beat holiday stress.
The winter holiday season, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Thanksgiving, for most people is a fun time of the year filled with parties, celebrations, and social gatherings with family and friends. But for many people, it is a time filled with sadness, self-reflection, loneliness, and anxiety.
Is the environment and reduced daylight a factor in wintertime sadness?
Nonhuman animals react to the changing season with changes in mood and behavior. People change behaviors, as well, when there is less sunlight. Most people find they eat and sleep slightly more in wintertime and dislike the dark mornings and short days. For some, however, other symptoms are severe enough to disrupt their lives and cause considerable distress.
Sadness or depression at holiday time can be a reaction to the stresses and demands of the season. In other cases, people may feel depressed around the winter holidays due to a condition known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), sometimes referred to as seasonal depression. This is a type of depression that tends to occur (and recur) as the days grow shorter in the fall and winter. It is believed that affected people react to the decreasing amounts of sunlight and the colder temperatures as the fall and winter progress, resulting in feelings of depression. Although this disorder usually occurs in the fall and winter, there are those who suffer from this condition during the summer instead of, or in addition to, during the fall or winter. The incidence of seasonal affective disorder increases in people who are living farther away from the equator.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on LiveScience.
