How to Beat the Winter Blues in Rochester Assisted Living
You can learn how to beat the winter blues with sunlight exposure, a nutritious diet, and exercise. Improve your Rochester, NY, senior wellness and longevity with these tips!
According to the Cleveland Clinic, about 10 to 20% of people get the winter blues, a mild form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Without treatment, SAD can affect your ability to function, potentially causing a loss of independence. Before that happens, learn how to beat the winter blues.
With our winter self-care ideas, you can ease symptoms of seasonal depression in seniors. Discover how to improve your mental and physical health while living in Rochester, NY!
What Are the Winter Blues?
Seasonal affective disorder, or seasonal depression, is a type of depression with a recurrent seasonal pattern. People usually experience symptoms in the late fall. Symptoms can worsen during peak winter, when there are fewer hours of daylight.
SAD may last for four to five months out of the year. The winter blues, however, are a mild version of SAD. Symptoms usually aren't as severe.
You may feel "down" when there are fewer hours of daylight. While the winter blues can mildly affect your mood, SAD is more serious. It may affect how you think, feel, and behave.
What Are the Symptoms of SAD?
According to the McGovern Medical School, about 38% of Americans experience a low mood during winter. Another two-thirds experience behavioral changes. These symptoms are common for people with SAD or the winter blues.
Common symptoms of SAD include those associated with depression, such as:
- Feeling irritated, restless, or frustrated
- Persistent sadness nearly every day for at least two weeks
- Feeling hopeless or pessimistic
- Difficulty concentrating, making decisions, or remembering
- Physical aches and pain
- Headaches, cramps, or digestive problems
- Oversleeping
- Craving carbs and sugar
- Overeating
- Fatigue, decreased energy, or feeling slowed down
- Loss of interest in activities you once found enjoyable
Some people experience a rare form of SAD, summer depression. Symptoms usually begin in the late spring or early summer before subsiding in the fall.
Symptoms that are specific to winter-pattern SAD include:
- Oversleeping
- Social withdrawal
- Overeating, leading to weight gain
Winter-pattern SAD is different from the holiday blues (feeling of anxiety or sadness associated with the holidays). If you experience these symptoms, consult a mental health professional. Without treatment, you may develop complications.
How to Beat the Winter Blues
Don't let the blues ruin your winter celebrations. Instead, use these lifestyle changes to ease symptoms of seasonal depression in seniors.
Step Into the Sunlight
Keeping a habitual wake time every day of the week will send a strong signal to your circadian clock. This supports a positive mood.
Brighten your day by spending 15 to 30 minutes outside each morning. Embracing nature can improve your mood and outlook on life. Consider asking your friends in Rochester to join you for a morning walk.
Adjust Your Diet
Follow the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet to protect your brain, mood, and body.This protocol emphasizes plant-based foods, including:
- Olive oil
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Whole grams
- Legumes
- Fruits
- Vegetables
The MIND diet may improve your working memory, attention, and mood. You can find healthy dishes featuring whole foods through your senior living community's dining program.
Rochester, NY Senior Wellness
Explore your senior living community's on-site health and wellness program for exercise classes, including:
- Walking or hiking groups
- Yoga or chair yoga
- Pilates
- Tai chi
- Meditation
- Weight lifting
- Resistance training
These exercise classes can benefit the body and mind. Exercising boosts serotonin and dopamine production, which can improve your mood.
Socialize
Social isolation and loneliness may increase your risk of anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. Instead, foster meaningful relationships with other seniors in your Rochester community.
Engaging in activities can give you a sense of purpose, extend your longevity, and improve your mood. You can check your community's events and activities calendar for options.
Emotional Health in Aging Seniors
Your senior living community may offer additional resources. Explore their exclusive lifestyle programs for more ways to improve emotional health in aging seniors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is At Risk of SAD?
Risk factors for seasonal affective disorder include:
- Age (it's more common in people aged 18 to 30)
- Gender (it's more common in women)
- Living in a cloudy region of the US
- Living far north or south of the equator (where there's less sunlight during the winter)
- Having relatives with other mental health conditions
- Having relatives with SAD
- Having another mood disorder (such as major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder)
Consult a mental health professional if you believe you're at risk. Avoid self-diagnosis.
They may determine if your symptoms indicate another mood disorder. In some cases, seasonal affective disorder is part of a more complex mental health condition.
What Are the Treatments for SAD?
For a SAD diagnosis, you must meet the following criteria:
- Experiencing symptoms of depression or winter-pattern SAD
- Depressive episodes occur during the winter for at least two consecutive years
- Episodes occur during the winter season more frequently than at other times of the year
Your mental healthcare provider may recommend a combination of treatment options, including:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Spending time outdoors
- Antidepressant medication
- Bright light therapy
- Talk therapy (psychotherapy)
During bright light therapy, you'll sit in front of a device that emits 10,000 lux of light. This mimics outdoor light conditions. Treatment may help stimulate vitamin D and serotonin production.
According to a Psychiatry Research review, 50% of patients fail to demonstrate an adequate response to first-line treatment with antidepressant drugs. Bright light therapy, however, has been widely demonstrated as an effective treatment for SAD.
Seek Memory Care Mood Support
Don't let the winter weather bring you down. Instead, make these lifestyle changes to discover how to beat the winter blues. Remember, you can discover more winter self-care tips through your senior living community.
Our Assisted Living and Memory Care community overlooks scenic Buckland Park and its historic Buckland Farmhouse. Enjoy maintenance-free living with programs designed to fit your unique needs.
The Landing of Brighton Senior Living offers restaurant-style dining using the freshest ingredients, a robust events and activities calendar with educational programs and themed parties, and on-site health and wellness programs to promote mental and physical well-being. Contact us now to schedule your tour.