Beat the winter blues by shedding some light, getting physical

By MultiCare Health System

If this season of long nights and cold, wet days has you thinking hibernation is a legitimate lifestyle choice, you aren’t alone. Staying active and healthy during the late fall and winter in the Pacific Northwest is a challenge.

Luckily, there are simple things you can do to make it through the winter without having to pull the blankets over your head and wait until spring.

The first challenge is keeping your schedule steady even when the sun doesn’t cooperate. Chances are good that in the heart of the winter you’ll be going to work in the dark and returning in the dark. That messes with everything from mood to sleep patterns.

“When the alarm goes off and if it’s still dark out, you’d better believe I’m hitting snooze,” acknowledges Dr. Karyn Harkins, who is with the MultiCare Center for Weight Loss and Wellness.

If you have trouble waking up when it’s still dark out, Harkins suggests simulating sunrise by turning on the lights along with the snooze button. Other people invest in sunrise-simulating clocks, or even a timer attached to a lamp.

“For me, it’s when I turn on the lights after five or 10 minutes. Now it’s morning,” Harkins said.

Getting enough light in your life is a serious issue. In northern states, especially those that experience lots of cloudy days like ours, up to 25 percent of people can experience the “winter blues,” Harkins said. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can affect 10 percent of people in states like Washington.

While you can’t force the clouds away or lengthen the days, light therapy has been proven to help alleviate symptoms, Harkins said. After researching the available studies on full spectrum lighting, she invested in a full-spectrum light box to try it for herself.

“The effects are not instantaneous, but after a few weeks I noticed I didn’t have the huge level of fatigue in the morning or at the end of the day,” she said. “It was much better than feeling slightly revved up on caffeine all the time.”

To be most effective, the light source does need to be 10,000 lux (a measure of light intensity) and within two feet of your face. And to protect your eyes, be sure the UV waves are filtered out, and don’t stare directly into the light source.

Thirty minutes to an hour a day can help with seasonal fatigue. For more severe symptoms, light therapy can be used in combination with medication.

Harkins also suggests having some activities for days when it’s tolerable to go outside.

“An hour outside walking on a cloudy day is going to be equivalent to two hours with a SAD lamp,” she said.

The key to avoid winter sluggishness is not to allow yourself to get there to start with. “Don’t fall all the way into a slump,” she said. “It’s always harder to get something going than to continue a routine.”

If your normal fitness routine is impacted by winter weather, start a new routine, she advised.

“Take a chance to either join a class that essentially forces you to go, or have a friend to work out with,” Harkins said. “Have it locked into your calendar.”

It also helps if you find an activity you enjoy, whether it’s dancing, Zumba, a spin class or a scheduled swim group. “If it’s something you don’t enjoy it will be that much harder to get going,” she said.

Flexibility is critical, particularly if you’re over the age of 40.

“You may not be able to do the same exercise activity day in and day out,” Harkins said. “There’s a certain level of muscle pain you want to be pushing through, but you definitely don’t want to be pushing through joint pain, chest pain or belly pain.”

Just as the weather can change, so can your plans. If it’s sunny and you’d rather be walking outside, don’t force yourself to resentfully spend an hour on an elliptical machine just because that’s what you’d planned. Flex your choices and get outside on that beautiful day for the benefit of both the light exposure and the exercise, Harkins said.

And how often do you need to exercise? “Try for every single day, 45 minutes,” Harkins said. “Because life is going to get in the way at least twice a week.”

And remember: Chores count, whether vigorous housecleaning or raking leaves.

“Just because you happen to accomplish a chore that needed to be done, doesn’t mean it’s any less valid,” Harkins said.

If you find you can’t push past the winter blahs and they start impairing your ability to function at work, at home or socially, it’s time to talk to your medical provider. “Research has shown clinical improvement with seasonal antidepressants,” Harkins said.

If your mood or the mood of a loved one is reaching crisis level, she added, call a crisis line to access emergency help:

• Pierce County Health Crisis Line, 800-576-7764

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255

• Crisis Text Line: 741741

Harkins noted it’s always helpful to remember you aren’t alone.

“Keep yourself healthy, help your family stay healthy, and let’s get through this season together,” she said.

MultiCare Health System is a not-for-profit healthcare organization in King, Pierce and Kitsap counties, along with other parts of Washington. Its facilities include clinics in Eatonville, Frederickson, South Hill and Spanaway.