It is still dark when the alarm clock rings, and in the afternoon it’s dark again. The Winter can be cozy, but for some people it fails on the mood. Due to the darkness. Simply you do not need to accept the bad mood still.
Light is crucial for our mood,” explains Prof. Kneginja Richter, head of the sleep clinic at the clinic for psychiatry and psychotherapy at the Klinikum Nürnberg. It provides for the release of various hormones that determine our emotional state.” Who doesn’t welcome during the day, enough bright light, you can feel as a result of unpleasant symptoms. How someone responds to it varies with the individual.
What is a winter depression?
However, most of The depression in the Winter, no winter depression,” says Prof. Ulrich Hegerl, President and CEO of the Foundation German depression aid. Largely, it is a classic depression, which occur in the Winter.”
The winter depression is a Seasonal affective disorder” – a form of the disease, in addition to the connection to the Season-specific characteristics: Usually it is used instead of the lack of appetite and weight loss to increased appetite,” says Hegerl. In addition, the Affected by the suffer from not under and sleep disorders. You sleep more than usual.”
However, not all people feel in the Winter, these symptoms, have a winter depression. Signs of this can be that can enjoy the Affected nothing more and you are permanently exhausted. This is often accompanied by feelings of guilt and hopelessness. Such symptoms occur in a self or family member, can make the family doctor, or in emergencies, a hospital for help. There is also a telephone for information on the topic of Depression, which can be reached under the number 0800/3344533.
What’s behind the winter Blues?
It is a winter Blues, it helps to look at possible causes. In addition to the lack of light various other reasons for the bad mood come into question: In the Winter, many people are a little melancholic. You might spend more time at home and less Outside distractions,” says Hegerl. Maybe you can review last year and are thoughtful.”
According to the expert, it can reinforce the negative feelings also, if you sleep too long or too much time spent lying in bed. This makes many people lazy and expresses the mood,” says Hegerl. To banish the winter Blues, it may, therefore, help to set the alarm especially early – even if it may seem in the face of inertia and listlessness on the first glance, paradoxical.
Can help, also a light therapy. A special lamp, which emits a very strong and bright light, to dispel the hazy feeling. The best effect of the light therapy, immediately after Waking up,” says Kneginja Richter. However, it is also possible for the lamp on the workstation to turn on, the best 60 minutes a day.”
How you chased away the gloom
An Alternative to the light therapy: More time in the fresh air and day light to spend. A good option would be to leave the car and ride your bike to work,” says the naturopath Hannah Friedl from Hamburg. If the path is too long, you might use the lunch break for a little walk. With a little imagination, small changes, are alone is beneficial.”
Sport is also helpful: Jogging in nature is ideal, but Indoor sports is recommended,” says Friedl. Just like the right diet: during this time, food that does not burden the body even more sluggish do to help,” says Friedl. She recommends bananas, pineapple, dates, figs, Avocados, nuts, oatmeal, fish, soya beans, unpolished rice, and – in moderation – dark chocolate.
Spices that heat up inside the””, help our little winter weary metabolism,” says Friedl. For example, ginger, Chili, pepper and cinnamon can bring the body in the swing.