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I don’t know about everyone else, but this overcast weather we have been having just seems to weigh heavy on the body and the heart. I found myself taking several naps this past weekend when my son wasn’t home, which is usually when I feel the most energized, wanting to get things done while I have some time and patience to do so.
Instead, like the bear, my brain and body just wanted to hibernate. Like most things, when I find something unusual happening, I tend to go down the rabbit hole and want to know what causes this issue. While science isn’t my forte, psychology has always been an interest.
The winter blues, or Seasonal Affective Disorder happens to a good portion of people, around 3% according to some statistics I found, with some sources saying it is closer to 0.05% depending on the area you live in. Of course, those in northern climates who experience a longer, darker, colder season, that percentage may be much higher.
Growing up in New Mexico my whole life sunshine and being outdoors just is part of your being. We rejoice when it rains, and we get a break from high, burning temperatures, but when it is cold and your Wal-Mart is already selling bathing suits, it can have you wishing for a lake trip where if you jump in the water, you don’t risk hypothermia. A hike where you can just dress once and not have to bring an extra jacket or sweater that ends up wrapped around your waist because the second you get some forward momentum; you are also sweating.
Women are also found to be more likely to be affected by this disorder than men, due to our hormones (go figure) and a higher likelihood to be affected by lower serotonin levels and higher melatonin levels, in short, we want to hibernate. How wonderful it would be to spend the cold months like the bear. You get chunky, hole up in a cozy place, and when you wake up your children are half grown and more manageable.
Last week on Groundhog Day, they predicted 6 more weeks of winter. This weird tradition started in America in 1887 by the Pennsylvania Germans, who used to predict six more weeks of winter by using hedgehogs that might come out on a sunny winter day back in Europe. I guess this holiday exists so that when these mixed-up sunny winter days come, we don’t get our hopes up that winter is finally over.
People, like plants, simply need sunlight to feel alive and better, we also need periods of rest, just like your dormant flower beds. In today’s world where we are all rushing around to be the best at everything, this rest is often tossed to the side as we continue running the rat race lit by artificial lights,
Fear not, as just as everything else, winter does finally end, and by the time it comes back around again we will have forgotten this season and instead be looking forward to a break from the warm weather with cooler days and snow fights.
