Three Simple Steps to Beat the Winter Blues

My wife and I were lying in bed this morning wondering why on earth our children were running all over the house at such an early hour. After shouting various things in an attempt to curtail the Crack-o-dawn shenanigans, I angrily tossed back the covers and began the heavy footed march of doom with the intent of politely informing them in a loving fashion that if they ever woke me up at an ungodly hour such as this again I would be forced to search for new homes for at least three of them. To make sure I had the facts to illustrate my point, I glanced at the clock on my way across the room to find two things. First, my still-too-noisy-for-this-time-of-the-morning children were not as guilty as I had thought them to be. Second, it was already 7:00am and I was going to be late to work.

The change of seasons is hard to deal with for many reasons. The shorter days, the chilly weather, the dark mornings all combine to wreak havoc on the schedules our bodies have grown accustomed to during the long, hot summers. Aptly acronymed Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), affects some of us more prominently than others. "People affected by seasonal affective disorder, also called SAD, may feel overly tired, lack motivation and even have trouble getting out of bed," says Dr. Angelos Halaris, a professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at Loyola University Chicago Stitch School of Medicine.

For seniors struggling with dementia and Alzheimer's, the affects of SAD compound what are already a challenging collection of symptoms.

Here some simple steps you can take to battle the SAD-ness:

1. Get Outside- 
Despite the shorter days, we are still blessed to have relatively warm weather and beautiful fall foliage in North Carolina. Getting outside to enjoy the sunlight is one of the best things you can do to avoid SAD. Exposing your skin to sunshine is helpful as well. If weather permits, expose your arms to the sunlight and avoid wearing sunglasses if possible.
2. Let the Sunshine In-
Open the curtains and drapes to let in as much of the outside light as possible. Consider leaving the blinds in your bedroom open when you go to sleep in order to allow the sunlight to stream in as soon as it comes up in the morning. For homes with poor lighting, light therapy boxes are available that are designed to mimic the effects of sun exposure. Always consult your physician before engaging in light therapy.
3. Exercise-
There is nothing that sabotages my exercise regiment more than the foods of fall. Squash, root vegetables, pot roast, and all of their fatty friends make me want to lie on the couch catch up on past episodes of Downton Abbey. Make yourself exercise. The endorphins released by even 30 minutes of daily activity can have a profound affect on your energy levels.


None of these are revolutionary concepts. None of these things are hard to do. These are all of the things that your great grandmother would have encouraged you to do long before we made up a fancy name for how we feel starting in October. Unfortunately, what is easy to do is also easy not to do.

For more information on Seasonal Affective Disorder click here

Tips to Fight the Winter Blues

I am hanging around. I have nothing to do but frown. Rainy days and Mondays (or any day for that matter) always get me down. Truer words may never have been spoken. For me, grey rainy days are the pits. Throw in a winter chill and the prospect of me sliding out from under my down comforter at 5:30am sounds less and less appealing. I am not typically a coffee drinker but at this time of year my morning coffee quickly becomes a necessity if I expect to even pretend to get any meaningful work done.

I am not alone.

The winter blues attempt to rob all of us of our holiday joy and seniors are not exempted from the list. If anything, they find themselves particularly susceptible. But there are steps that can be taken for you and the aging parent in your life so that you can hopefully beat the blues this Christmas.

1. Lace up your sneakers.

I have taken to doing this on Saturdays when there aren't a ton of mandatory things on my to-do list. Somehow just putting on my sneakers makes me feel sportier and more active. This trick has nothing to do with podiatry. It is really just a mental excuse to get moving. The more sedentary you are the more blah you're going to feel. So whether it's sneakers or just changing out of your pajamas before noon, do whatever it takes to get active. Your mind will follow your body's lead.
    
    2. Follow Dave Ramsey's advice.

Money is MAJOR contributor to winter blues. Financial demands around Christmas are taxing on your mind and body. Having a budget doesn't automatically multiply the pennies in your jar but having a handle on exactly where you are allows you to relax a little. So set a budget and stick to it. You still might not be able to afford that new Mercedes with a big red bow on the hood but you will be able to comfort yourself in knowing that the person driving it is probably too stressed out to enjoy it anyway. Tis the season!

    3. Put a Salad on the Table.

Nutritious foods feed both our minds and bodies. During the holidays, we tend to pay less attention to what goes into our bodies. A sweater does wonders to conceal a few extra pounds. Between parties and gatherings, fudge and cookies, it is no wonder that Santa's belly jiggles like a bowl full of jelly. The less balanced and nutritious your diet is the more susceptible your mind will be to the ups and DOWNS of the grey winter days. At Thanksgiving dinner this year, I insisted on putting a kale salad on the table. In an effort to be fair to all contributors, I always make sure to include a little (or a lot) of everything in the spread on my plate. Having the salad was a great reminder not to overdo it. Admittedly, I still overdid it but nowhere near as badly as in years past. If you are attending a party in the evening don't count the day as a total nutrition loss. Instead, focus on good choices during the day so that you don't feel guilty for that second helping of sausage balls.

    4. Booze It and You'll Blues It.

While alcohol may help us get to sleep it can also prevent us from actually getting restful sleep. I love a glass of single barrel bourbon as much as the next guy provided that the next guy really likes single barrel bourbon but if you aren't careful that holiday cocktail can ruin your next day. In this instance, it isn't about getting drunk and having a hangover. Alcohol can disrupt your body's natural sleep rhythms and prevent you from getting the rest you need. Can you have a second drink without becoming the slob of your office party and xeroxing your own derrier? Probably. Will you feel lousy tomorrow because you didn't get restful sleep? Also probably.

In a senior's life all of these issues are typically magnified. Staying active can be hampered by chronic conditions which are painfully worse during colder months. It is easy for me to lace up my sneakers on a Saturday morning but quite another matter for someone whose arthritis prevents them from being able to tie their shoes. Money woes are hardest to cope with for those on a fixed income. Nutrition is already an issue for most seniors and alcohol abuse/dependency dramatically escalates among the senior population during the Christmas season. For these and other problems there are no easy solutions. However, just being aware of these issues in your own life and the life of your aging parent is a great first step. If you are attempting to fight the winter blues, knowing is half the battle.