Battling Seasonal Affective Disorder

Some tips to combat the winter blues

By: Macie Rasmussen

Every time one of my friends says, “I can’t wait for snow,” I am overwhelmed with opposition and react with a disoriented, “Hm, can’t relate.” 

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a disorder that provides very real challenges for many of us citizens of the northern hemisphere. Symptoms of SAD typically start and end around the same time every year and include low energy, problems sleeping or eating, difficulty concentrating, and moodiness. 

With school tending to significantly pick up around this time when the temperatures drop, the trees lose their leaves, and walking to class through the snow becomes a chore, here are a few small tips for getting through this unpleasant time of year. 

1. Change your lighting 

When there is no light outside, the quality of light in your home can make a significant difference. When I switched the light in my lamp from a white one to a warm one, my life changed. 

2. Hit up Spotify 

Pull up your summer playlist, close your eyes, and take a trip down memory lane to the good old days. Or, make a new playlist that feels like warm breeze on your face. I would have to recommend “Summertime Magic” by Childish Gambino. 

3. Two words: hair dryer 

Not many people know this, but hair dryers are even more important in the winter. When you get home, and it feels like you’re chilled to the bone, grab that device, turn it on high heat, and say goodbye to misery. This works best if you put the hair dryer under your shirt. You’re welcome.

4. Talk to real humans

The last and most cliché tip is to lean on your friends for support. It’s easy to hibernate for a few months because it’s painful to go outside. Fight through that and see your pals! Nothing lifts the mood like some genuine, real human interaction. Plus, then you and your friends can complain about the weather (among other things) together.