The winter solstice occurred on Dec. 21, marking the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. While sunlight now increases daily, winter won’t be over for a while yet.
The Associated Press spoke to experts in Norway, Sweden, and Finland about the winter blues. Here’s how they suggest looking for light, literally and figuratively, during the darkest months of the year:
Dr. Timo Partonen, a research professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, said the dark winter affects our circadian rhythm, so maintaining sleep and social habits are key.
With limited daylight, our internal body clocks cannot reset or synchronize properly, and it throws off our sleep. We may sleep longer in the winter, he said, but we don’t wake up refreshed and can remain tired the rest of the day.
Partonen recommended trying a dawn simulator, also known as a sunrise alarm clock, to ease you into wakefulness gradually.
In addition to feeling more tired, we’re more likely to withdraw socially from others in the wintertime. We’re more irritable, Partonen said, and more prone to fights with friends.
It’s important to maintain our relationships, he said, because symptoms rarely improve in isolation.
And since keeping up with exercise is also key to combating the winter blues, consider inviting a friend along for a workout.
It could also help keep off the wintertime weight gain — typically 2 to 5 kilograms (4 to 11 pounds) a year, Partonen said — that’s fed by cravings for carbohydrates, especially in the evenings.