Flourish - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 17
What are the winter blues?
When the summer months dissipate,
May, June, July, August, and occasionally
September can feel rather humdrum. We
may feel less inclined to go outside,
sluggish, and more easily agitated during
this time of year.
Some of us may have benign symptoms,
known as 8winter blues9, that exacerbate
during the peak of the season and fade
when the sunnier weather returns. We
usually attribute these feelings to the
seasonality of winter and autumn and
get back to our normal, chirpy selves by
spring. For others, these symptoms can
be more intense and impact day-to-day
functioning and sometimes represent a
type of depression which can be
diagnosed as Seasonal Affective
Disorder (SAD).
What are the symptoms of SAD?
Health Direct says these are the types of
symptoms to watch out for when the
winter (or summer) months roll around…
Reduced mood.
Little or more sleep than usual.
Meagre energy and feeling fatigued.
Craving those comfort foods
permeated with carbohydrates and
sugar.
Possible weight gain.
Less interest in our everyday,
enjoyable activities.
Loss of interest and hope for one9s
future
Feeling Flat This Winter? You’re
Not Alone
Statistically, around 1 in 300 Aussies
experience SAD, according to Beyond
Blue. And that9s just those experiencing
full-blown SAD, not the many others
grappling with seasonal dips in mood
and motivation.
Interestingly, the Australian Bureau of
Statistics (ABS) found that 1 in 5 Aussies
reported high or very high levels of
psychological distress in the colder
months during recent national health
surveys. While winter isn't the only
culprit, the shorter daylight hours and
chillier conditions don't exactly help.
