Essential Skills for Surviving a Pandemic Winter: Seasonal Affective Disorder Edition

On a good year, November is a mix of emotions for me: a combination of joy and overwhelm in anticipation of the holidays, as well as a sense of sadness, exhaustion, and lack of motivation as the days get darker and the weather gets colder.

This year presents even more challenges. The global pandemic we find ourselves in brings a new level of grief and decision-making to our holiday plans and traditions. What is an appropriate amount of risk? What will be the cost of seeing the grandparents, aunts, and uncles? What will be the cost of remaining isolated, alone?

In the summer we could at least invite friends over to hang out in the yard, or meet up at a park. This is getting less and less appealing as the days get more and more frigid, reminding us of how very much we appreciate warmth and dryness.

I don’t have any answers for you. There’s no perfect decision-making grid for planning the holidays or staying connected with life-giving relationships throughout the cold, dark winter. However, as a person who is deeply affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), I thought I’d share with you the practices I have cultivated over the years that help me survive the winters.

How do I know if I have Seasonal Affective Disorder?

The main symptoms of SAD are low or depressed mood, decrease in motivation, loss of interest and pleasure in things you usually enjoy, and low energy, brought on in the fall and winter months. A lot of people struggle to identify SAD in themselves because they think these symptoms are just a normal part of winter, or that their experience of depression isn’t “bad enough” to warrant seeking help. I used to be that person myself! Now that I’ve established practices that help improve my symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, I’ll never go back to accepting it as a fact of life that can’t be helped.

1) Get a 10,000-lux SAD lamp

I cannot overstate the importance of this. My SAD lamp has been life-changing. I typically start using it in late September or early October just to get ahead of it. A 10,00-lux lamp is a broad spectrum light that you sit near for anywhere from 30 minutes - 3 hours per day, preferably right away in the morning. After a lot of trial and error, and back and forth on my consistency with my light lamp, I have found that 30-60 minutes right away in the morning is the perfect amount for me. It has to be every single day, or at least 6 out of 7 days of the week, for it to be truly effective for me.

There are a lot of options for buying a SAD light online, but do pay attention to the distance at which the lamp provides the 10,000-lux. It is a very bright light, and works best when it’s to the side a bit while you drink your morning coffee or tea, read a book, or catch up on emails. Some companies advertise their SAD lamps as 10,000 lux but you need to be six inches away from it to get that benefit! I personally like the company Alaska Northern Lights. My Aurora Lightpad from this company gives me 10,000-lux at 24 inches away.

Another option is to talk to your doctor about getting a prescription for a light lamp, and asking if your insurance will pay for it through a medical supply company.

2) Vitamin D

Talk with your doctor about your vitamin D levels and whether a supplement can help you. We know that many people in winter climates are chronically low in vitamin D. Keeping your levels up is an important part of caring for your body in these long winter months.

3) Medication

Even if you already take an antidepressant such as an SSRI or SNRI, talk with your doctor about increasing your current dose, or adding a medication like Wellbutrin which has been shown to help the symptoms of SAD. The lack of daylight impacts our brain chemistry, and a simple medication change can help significantly.

4) All things cozy

People all over the United States have gotten into the Danish concept of Hygge in recent years. Or, as I learned during my time living in The Netherlands, Gezelig. Both the Danish and the Dutch face long, dark winters, and have established practices of coziness. Candles, music, fire in the fireplace, long evenings crafting, baking, soup simmering on the stove — it’s more about cultivating an atmosphere of hunkering down and appreciating what winter brings.

5) Get outdoors!

Whether you are a winter sports fanatic or not (I’m definitely not), there are huge benefits in getting outside, even if it’s just for a walk down the street. Even if it’s a grey, overcast day, your eyes and any exposed skin will still drink in the sunlight through the clouds. Breathing the fresh air rejuvenates the nervous system. And if you do have access to nature, all the better! Reconnect with your inner child and go sledding. I discovered in recent years that I actually LOVE sledding. It took my kids to get me back out on the sledding hill, but I wish I’d been doing it long before I had them! Try out snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Invite friends over for a (socially distanced) bonfire and hot dog/s’mores roast. Play around and see what you enjoy in particular.

I hope a few of these practices help you as much as they help me. Remember to reach out for help. You are not alone.