As a kid, I used to love the winter and everything it brought forth like Christmas and snow days. Now the winter brings along other things that I do not look forward to — like too much darkness during hours that should be light.
I never really understood what daylight saving time was, except that we either gained an hour or lost one. Now that I am an adult and have more wisdom on this subject, I realize what effects this time change can have on people, including myself. I never thought that losing or gaining an hour would make such a big difference in my life, but after going through this winter, I realized how much my mood and energy had changed.
An hour less of sunshine can really cause major mood shifts especially for people already struggling with anxiety and depression.
Our minds can be a very dark place sometimes and that is what I meant when describing the months between November and March. Even though we still have 24 hours in a day, that one hour we lost due to daylight saving time can overtime cause our minds to go into a dark place and create depression even for those who aren't usually the depressed type.
Ever heard of seasonal depression? The low energy and weird mood swings we get during the wintertime are where the term comes from. Not everyone experiences seasonal depression, but some of the symptoms that infer you may have it can include sleeping more, lack of energy, loss of interest, feeling sad or depressed, etc. Every one of us has an internal clock that is based upon our exposure to sunlight, but it can be disrupted during the winter when the days get shorter and the lack of sunlight.
Don't think just because you may be experiencing seasonal depression that there is nothing you can about it. There are many things that can help reduce your risk of it. The easiest thing to do if you believe you are at risk is to talk to someone about it. Do not be embarrassed or afraid to talk to people, because it is likely that they may be experiencing seasonal depression as well.
One thing that has really helped with my seasonal depression is getting a light therapy lamp. It is just a lamp that you can get on Amazon and it gives off the same amount of energy that the sun would. I turn my lamp on when I can feel the sun beginning to go down or when it is cloudy outside. Another thing that is great for seasonal depression is waking up a bit earlier and walking outside in the morning light. This way, even though the sun goes down earlier, we still get the same amount of exposure.
All in all, be aware of daylight saving time because it can have negative effects on people. If you begin experiencing symptoms of it, start therapy right away so you have a higher chance of reducing your risk. Remember to talk to people and always try to get as much sleep as possible. You got this!
