Here comes the end of Daylight Savings again, the signal of darker mornings and longer nights to come. Even in “sunny California” the winter months are darker and people can struggle.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real phenomenon, and it shouldn’t be brushed off. Increased hours of darkness can lead to episodes of depression, sleeplessness, and even thoughts of suicide. Take your concerns seriously!
Some of these symptoms are also exacerbated by the time change, which is coming up next Sunday. If you have experienced problems around daylight savings time changes before, we encourage you to plan ahead. Some people find it helpful to start two or three days in advance and change their daily routines by 15 minutes each day, instead of an hour all at once.
Others prefer to ignore the time change in favor of maintaining sleep and wake patterns already established. This allows you to use the “extra” hour in the morning for exercise, getting outside, or a healthy breakfast, instead of coffee on the run. Since “standard” time is much shorter than “daylight savings” in the US, and since north-to-south variations in light length are quite substantial, many people find they can usefully ignore the November time change in their personal life. Of course, you have to get to work at the right time, but sleep, housework and exercise patterns don’t really have to change all that much.
Consult a therapist for ways to approach the “winter blues” don’t minimize them!
- Stick to your diet and exercise routines, don’t fall into the habit of thinking of those as “summertime” considerations.
- Get outside as much as possible, even if it’s dark and rainy. Outside light is still brighter than ordinary lightbulbs inside.
- Look up and watch the sky. Seek out the beauty of each season, and celebrate whatever makes you happy.
Remember, the sun ALWAYS comes back!