What is "seasonal depression" was actually a natural, normal thing?

[joannqn]

The title is suppose to read, "What if..."

 

I had some thoughts today about seasonal depression. I wanted to share and see what your thoughts were. Before you read it, let me say that it has a slight Christian bent in that I refer to the idea that we are "created" or "designed", but God is not mentioned. You can easily take it to mean biologically or naturally evolved, if you wish. Any religious connotations are not the main idea, and I do not wish to get into a religious discussion. If you read it, you'll see where I'm heading with it. To save you from having to click over to my blog, I'll copy it here:

 

What would happen if we discovered that most of what we call "seasonal depression" was actually a natural rhythm that we were created to experience? This question, along with a bigger overall concept, came to me this morning and I wanted to share it, to see what others thought of the idea.

 

One of the symptoms of seasonal depression is the lack of energy we feel during the bleak winter months. Perhaps we experience a reduction in energy levels during the winter because we weren't created, in the natural world, to need as much energy as we need during the summer. We've been reading Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder in our home school, and it was that story that led to my thoughts. The early pioneers were busy, I mean really busy, during the spring, summer, and fall months. The days were longer, the sun provided plenty of essential vitamin D, and they had work that just could not wait lest they starve to death over the winter. They had all of the energy they needed to get the job done. Then, come winter, there wasn't as much work to do. Sure, the men would spend the few short daylight hours hunting, if the weather cooperated, but otherwise they stayed indoors. They prepared food and ate, completed indoor chores and projects, told stories, played music, enjoyed the company of their family, and rested. The energy required to complete winter tasks was much lower than that required during the summer. Instead of back-breaking labor, they were resting and rejuvenating, because come spring, there would be work to do. That was then.

 

For those of us living in modern, first world countries, life is very different from what it was back then. With the modern inventions of electricity and reliable, weather-proof transportation, seasonal changes don't affect our work. We are free to work as long as we wish, long after sun down. We can drive to work in almost any weather. In short, our work-loads don't change with the seasons. We expect the same output from ourselves throughout the year. We never get that downtime to rejuvenate. More importantly, we expect our bodies to keep putting out the same amount of energy year round, and when it doesn't, we get upset about it.

 

That brings up the next question. Is it possible that much of the depressed mood we feel stems from our frustration at not being able to keep up, energy-wise, with our expectations? I know it does for me. If we understood, believed, accepted that we are suppose to have less energy during the winter, it would elevate our mood. Take it just a little step further, and accept that it may even be okay that our mood is naturally lowered during this time, too. A cheery mood helps get work done any day. I certainly don't want to hunker down for the winter, to rest and rejuvenate, when I'm cheery and happy. I want to get up, get stuff done, accomplish. On the other hand, a sedate mood facilitates the much needed rest when living in the natural world.

 

Unfortunately, most of us don't live in the natural world where seasons affect our required and expected output. Sure, those few who choose farming and ranching as their way of life experience seasonal changes in their work but what about the rest of us...city-dwellers? Even if we accept this design, how will it help us overcome the lack of energy and lowered mood so we can still keep up with the never-fluctuating requirements of our jobs? Simple (but probably not easy). We would need to reorganize what we can to reduce our loads during the winter. Think about what you can move to the spring, summer, and fall months. If you have a large decluttering and organizing project you want to complete? Do it in the spring. Need to paint indoors? Summer is the perfect time. Holidays stress you out? Shop and wrap in the Fall. Put more effort in getting as much work done during your high energy times so you can do just the essentials during the winter. If that isn't enough, consider reducing your standards a bit in some areas. Maybe you can live with vacuuming just the main areas of your carpet during the winter and let the detailed vacuuming wait until spring, for example. Focus on the priorities during the winter: homeschool, basic chores, feeding your families. Finally, relax, rest, it's what you were designed to do.

 

Accepting these two ideas, that we are designed to have less energy and a more sedate mood is natural and normal, would go a long ways towards reducing seasonal depression. Perhaps we should even change its name. Natural seasonal rhythm sounds better, more positive, doesn't it?

Edited January 16, 2010 by joannqn

[Christy B]

I get what you're saying. I don't have anything profound to add or thought-provoking to ask, so I'm not sure why I'm commenting. :D

 

I do think that as a culture, we are perhaps in danger of "diagnosing" things that are, as you say, possibly just a normal part of life.

[Peela]

Yes, I get your drift and agree with it.

People are out of touch with normal cycles- the daily cycle of sunrise and sunset is ignored with electric lights and alarm clocks, seasonal rythms are ignored- who knows what else we have become insensitive to?

If in winter people went to bed earlier and got more sleep, and then spent time in whatever sunshine they could during the day...and slowed down...and simply took notice of the cycles of life including the moon, the sun, the plants, ate food more seasonally....I think everyone would be more grounded and at ease with their personal natural rhythms. We are too removed from nature, but its to our detriment...its actually beautiful to get back in tune, to always know what phase the moon is in, to feel hot in summer and cold in winter and not live in an artificial environment...I could go on. It's one of my favourite topics actually :)

[JudoMom]

I get what you're saying. I don't have anything profound to add or thought-provoking to ask, so I'm not sure why I'm commenting. :D

 

I do think that as a culture, we are perhaps in danger of "diagnosing" things that are, as you say, possibly just a normal part of life.

 

:iagree:

[Jane in NC]

JoAnn,

 

I have previously come to the same conclusion that you expressed with a slight variation. Having grown up in a cold place where we often did not see the sun in the winter, I moved south as a young adult. It is rare for us to have more than a couple of gray days in a row. Warm temperatures enable us to have outdoor activity practically every day. But...

 

It seems that the horrendous heat of summer is the time for many in the south to slow down. Think of the stereotype of the big Southern front porch with people in rockers or porch swings. A body can only labor so long in 90 plus degree temperatures. Before the era of air conditioning (and families enclosing themselves in their individual units, removed from the community), people in this part of the world rejuvenated in the summer months.

 

Further, I think we live in the culture of "Wow!", the culture in which "happiness" demands a huge grin on our faces. I am content. I am at peace. I need not wear a foolish grin 24/7. Yet a pensive mood will lead others to ask "What's wrong?" Nothing. Being somber does not mean that I need a therapist or a grand diversion. It may mean that I am invoking the memory of one who has past on or contemplating the general way of the world (Haiti?) or just being in a moment in which I do not wish to wear a foolish grin.

 

Thank you for taking the time to articulate your ideas in such a thoughtful post.

 

Jane

[Firefly]

I completely agree with you. I used to dread the winter and the blues during this time of year. But over the past 6 years that we have been working toward creating a mini-homestead, I've grown to actually love the wintertime (I'm still ready for it to be over come March though. ;)) From the first seeds sprouting in the greenhouse late February until the last of the honey is harvested in October (and beyond that if I have some fall crops to tend to), I am extremely busy-- there is always something to do. I love it but it is physically tiring. These days, I look forward to winter as a time of respite. I can focus on reading, knitting, an indoor project, or just having more family time.

 

Additionally, I think in our modern age we have a tendency to want to give everything a diagnosis or label, even things that may be perfectly natural occurrences.

[elegantlion]

JoAnn,

 

I have previously come to the same conclusion that you expressed with a slight variation. Having grown up in a cold place where we often did not see the sun in the winter, I moved south as a young adult. It is rare for us to have more than a couple of gray days in a row. Warm temperatures enable us to have outdoor activity practically every day. But...

 

It seems that the horrendous heat of summer is the time for many in the south to slow down. Think of the stereotype of the big Southern front porch with people in rockers or porch swings. A body can only labor so long in 90 plus degree temperatures. Before the era of air conditioning (and families enclosing themselves in their individual units, removed from the community), people in this part of the world rejuvenated in the summer months.

 

Further, I think we live in the culture of "Wow!", the culture in which "happiness" demands a huge grin on our faces. I am content. I am at peace. I need not wear a foolish grin 24/7. Yet a pensive mood will lead others to ask "What's wrong?" Nothing. Being somber does not mean that I need a therapist or a grand diversion. It may mean that I am invoking the memory of one who has past on or contemplating the general way of the world (Haiti?) or just being in a moment in which I do not wish to wear a foolish grin.

 

Thank you for taking the time to articulate your ideas in such a thoughtful post.

 

Jane

 

:iagree: I lived in the midwest for almost 40 years. Hate winter, every part of it, I feel confined and "dead" from December to March. We moved to the south about 4 years ago and I am a different person now. I initially read your post and totally agreed, that I can live for 12 months out of the year. Jane's post reminded me that we do slow a bit in the summer.

 

My dh works outside and summer is tough for him. But I don't feel the sadness and blues that I did when we lived further north. Perhaps it is because the "slow season" has long hours and lots of sunlight.

 

Great thoughts, thanks for sharing.

Edited January 16, 2010 by elegantlion
correcting tense of verb

[Parrothead]

It would be interesting to know the correlation between the SAD getting a name and being diagnosed fairly often and the advent of electric lights.

 

If SAD was as prevalent before the electric light being common then maybe your hypothesis is off. If not, then you might be on to something. Maybe something big that will help lots of people understand what is going on in their lives..

[Jean in Newcastle]

I think it is a matter of degree. Yes, a bit of slowing down and cocooning is a normal cyclical thing. Not being able to get out of bed at all in the winter (as happens with my neighbor) is not normal and would have led to disaster in the old pre-electricity days.

[Perry]

You might be interested in reading Crazy Like Us. I heard an interview with the author on NPR yesterday and he was discussing how mental illness is manifested differently depending on the culture, and how the US is influencing and changing the prevalence of diagnoses of mental illness on a global scale.

 

I haven't read it yet but have it on hold at the library. He was fascinating.

[jazzyfizzle]

I think you are right on the money. I know of several instances the nature points this out to us if we are observant enough to notice it.

 

I used to be a nurserywoman/landscaper. A strong memory I have from when I first began working for the grower/landscape company- was one day in early winter, I commented to a fellow worker about some 'starts' they had in a window sill in an office. I casually threw out the question- how do you suppose those plants know to be slowing and going to sleep now- proabably the strength of light received each day? She said- no- the total length of light, not the strength.

 

Now we have laying chickens. The length of light per day 'runs' their laying output overall. I found it very interesting, that during summer months, my hens greatly preferred the laying mash feed. When the days shortened noticeably they would go after the corn much more greadily and leave the mash. (they are given both)

I also found super interesting, that since we have passed the solstice, they are once again going after the mash and leave the corn for later in the day, or sometimes just leave it! It is all very noticeable since I feed them two different types of feed each day.

I am assuming that this is because they need corn to add that slight layer of fat for winter, and extra energy to stay warm.

Now that they are gearing up for more laying, they focusing on the mash.

 

Next example- we have shelties. They start their coat 'blow' (big seasonal shed) typically- as soon as we pass the solstice they begin blowing coat, even though it is still very cold weather!

 

I had already mentioned this sort of thing to my DH, when the hen situation was so noticeable. It has to have quite the same effect on our human bodies, we just don't have such physical examples.

 

I know I always have a problem with wanting to snack heavily during the long winter evenings.

 

 

 

Great post!

Edited January 16, 2010 by jazzyfizzle
used wrong word

[muffinmom]

I don't have much to offer, except that I think about these kinds of things a lot--how we are so out of touch with the rhythm of nature, how we don't observe it anymore (we don't have to, computers do it for us), that the more out of touch we are with nature and its ways, the more out of touch we are with ourselves, which would "naturally" lead us to feel out of sync, depressed, and as if something is missing.

 

Thanks for your thoughts. Makes me want to reread Little House books!

[cathmom]

In the book Outliers, he talks about Europeans basically "hibernating" in the winter.

[tdeveson]

I get your drift -- and something like that has occurred to me too. We evolved in a very different world than we live in. That's why I have two full-spectrum lights. While we may have evolved naturally to be depressed and lethargic in the winter, I can't run a house or teach school that way. ;) Twenty minutes in the morning while I read and have my morning coffee, and 20 minutes in the afternoon while at my desk. It makes a huge difference.

 

As an aside, I live in South Florida where summers are hot, muggy, and miserable. That is the time of year when I'm lethargic and down. The oppressive heat just sucks the life out of me, even with the AC running. I find the whole season stupefying and can't wait for winter which makes me very energetic. And since I use the lamps, I haven't been blue in the winter in ages.

Edited January 16, 2010 by tdeveson

[AuntieM]

:iagree: I lived in the midwest for almost 40 years. Hate winter, every part of it, I feel confined and "dead" from December to March. We moved to the south about 4 years ago and I am a different person now. I initially read your post and totally agreed, that I can live for 12 months out of the year. Jane's post reminded me that we do slow a bit in the summer.

 

My dh works outside and summer is tough for him. But I don't feel the sadness and blues that I did when we lived further north. Perhaps it is because the "slow season" has long hours and lots of sunlight.

 

Great thoughts, thanks for sharing.

 

Sigh, I attest to the truth of this by having exactly the *opposite* experience! I am indeed a different person since we moved to the midwest, after being raised and spending most of my adult life in the south. In many ways I feel... not alive? I am trying to learn to adjust.

[joannqn]

Great comments so far. I'm thinking that the concept is more about syncing with the seasonal changes where you live. In very hot climates, it would be natural to slow down when it is really hot, and get more done with the weather is more appropriate for hard work. Though I still believe seasonal depression is probably more prevalent in northern locations.

[FairProspects]

While I agree with the general theory, is it possible the labor just changed more to indoor tasks rather than lessened in the winter? I do a lot of researching of the "Little House" era for the museum we work with, and winter in that era was often the prime-time to get all the sewing & knitting done for the year since you can't be outside. The work may not be as back-breaking, but it is certainly labor and there was a ton of sewing to be done when you have to make all your clothes yourself and by hand no less!!

[muffinmom]

I'd like to share an experience, FWIW...Up until about a year and a half ago, I used to be very hot-natured. I felt like I had seasonal affective disorder, but only for summer. I dreaded summer and basically just got through it, completely stressed the whole time.

 

But the year I started taking progesterone cream, I noticed that I tolerated summer better (wasn't so hot all the time), and by the time winter rolled around, I started to feel sadness (almost a "stunned" feeling) by the darkness in the evening. So strange to me. Hormonal and blood pressure issues seem to influence it for me. This year I cut back on my progesterone and have been taking licorice root (along with some other energy-raising components) to raise my blood pressure a bit (because it's been running low), and I haven't noticed the same downward turn.