Learning to Love the Winter Blues

January is the coldest month of the year here in New York State. And even if it does seem to be getting warmer every year, the cold weather still has a subduing effect on many people. Also, there are only 9 hours of daylight (as opposed to 15 hours in June and July), making people feel tired and sluggish.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a legitimate problem for many people. Individuals affected by SAD have severe difficulty motivating themselves to do ordinary things in the winter months. People with SAD should speak to a doctor about effective treatments (and there are many).

The rest of us have a simple case of the winter blues. Most people who live in cold climates slow down in the winter. They sleep more, eat more, socialize less, and take on fewer projects and commitments. It's completely normal! Just like a hibernating bear.

The problem is a lot of people beat themselves up for not being more productive in winter, especially adults with ADD, who have a tendency to beat themselves up to begin with. If your partner has been down on themselves for feeling unmotivated or lazy, here is my advice.

Encourage them to enjoy hibernation! There is no shame in the pursuit of coziness! Here are a few ideas of winter activities you can do together:

• Do a jigsaw puzzle
• Crochet a blanket
• Make a scrapbook
• Cook a warm, hearty meal
• Catch up on movies you want to rent
• Play a board game
• Bake cookies

If your partner rolls their eyes at your suggestions (which mine did), ask them to come up with some of their own ideas. Winter is not the time to be cleaning the garage or having dinner with a different friend every weekend. There will be plenty of time (and energy) for that come spring.

What activities do you like to do in the winter months? Leave your suggestions in the comments!

 

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Comments

[Jeff]

For years I unknowingly suffered from S.A.D. With the shorter winter days, I would mentally shut down so that when it was pitch black by 5pm my activity level came to a halt. I would slide into a deep depression that lasted for months. It was only when the days got longer that I would suddenly snap out of it. Well, for me the "cure" was Wellbutrin which has helped both with S.A.D., my A.D.D. and even made it easier to stop smoking.

[Jolie]

Hardest thing in the winters is the fact that the sun comes up late and I have even more trouble getting up in the morning... I used to say that my eyes are open but my brain is still asleep... Especially in the winter