When the nights get long and the cold sets in then… Your winter depression arrives. Or, at least that is the case for one in ten in our part of the world. And one of those who already know the winter darkness is Sylvia Labrador from Barcelona in Spain. An exchange semester in Oslo is her first taste of the dark ages. – I don’t feel like I have the energy to go out. People have advised me to be social so I’ll fight my way through coffee with friends. Do you think winter is difficult? Yes! Am more tired and demotivated 😞🛌 No, I love winter and dark evenings. 🏂⛄ Well, it gets marked, but the rescue is a fireplace and coziness ☕🕯 Holds out for a while with the Christmas spirit, but gets broken in January. 💥🥶 Show result But you can actually escape a blue and heavy winter. – I don’t remember the last time I was winter depressed. But I use all the tricks in the book, because I know what works, says psychologist Lars Dehli. If you want the recipe, you should read on. It is actually a diagnosis. Perhaps the feelings have already registered with you? More difficult to get up in the morning, exercise and be social. Stronger sweet tooth. Less zest for life and energy. Many in the world of psychology actually consider this a separate diagnosis. Winter depression. And the symptoms are almost exactly the same as those seen in “ordinary” depression. With two exceptions: – People who are clinically depressed are usually unable to feel real joy. That’s not the case with winter depression, you can still laugh and have a lot of fun while watching Friends, says Dehli. – And it will pass when spring comes. Lars Dehli is an associate professor at Kristiania University College and has taken an extra interest in winter depression. Photo: Christian Olstad But not everyone is affected by the winter darkness. It is mainly women who are affected, three out of four in fact. – And there are more B-people than A-people who struggle with this. Some studies have also seen people with ADHD affected more than others. The feelings usually start a winter in the early 20s and are worst around the age of 30. news has hit two in this group. Vitamin D is the thing the Sun is about to give thanks for when news meets Rahmil Walayte (22) at Akerselva in Oslo. The psychology student says that he is not really affected by the weather. – But I know that a lack of sun means a lack of vitamin D, so I jump on it straight away. Staying active is the best medicine, the student believes. – We get a bit lazy when it’s cold outside and we’re at home a lot. I think it contributes to us feeling worse than we normally would, says Walayte Rahmil Walayte (22) trains all year to keep his spirits up. Photo: Kaspara Stoltze / news For Somia Chuhan (22), the winter depression is discouraging. – I’m looking forward to Christmas because then it’s cozy. And as soon as January starts, the winter depression comes. Because then there is not much to look forward to anymore. Heavy studies become extra heavy, she says. Somia Chuhan’s (22) best advice is also vitamin D supplements and spending time with friends. Photo: Kaspara Stoltze / news It’s about the sun But why are we like this in the winter? Well, it’s not because of the cold and high electricity prices. It’s about the sun, or rather the absence of sunlight. And the whole body, both the nervous system, the immune system and our emotions are affected by the light. THE PROBLEM: It’s this one that we can blame when we’re grumpy and exhausted in winter. Edvard Munch is behind this sun portrait. The best medicine for winter depression is therefore more light. The psychologist’s best advice is to buy yourself a little – in the form of a solar lamp. – Everyone in Norway should have one. We have known for a long time that it has a good effect, both if one is affected by winter depression, or if they only have milder symptoms and do not meet the diagnosis, says Dehli. FAKE SUN: The psychologist spends half an hour of the working day in front of such a sun lamp. Here, the journalist has tested it while writing the story. Photo: Bård Nafstad / news The brain cannot tell the difference between real sunlight and electronic light. The body therefore begins to produce vitamin D and most people feel better, have more energy and sleep better, according to the psychologist. And it should last for 30 minutes a day in front of the lamp. The time to slack off and shrug one’s shoulders One of the big challenges in winter is inaction. Suddenly the threshold for going for a run or a pint with friends is much higher. If you work nine to four, it is often dark before you have left your desk. Here Dehli has a proactive solution: “Skulktober”. When autumn makes its approach, he starts slacking off at work and elsewhere in life. DUKKERT: An ice bath is a quick solution to a tired day. Photo: Jonas Ingstad He clarifies that not everyone has the freedom to do so, but that you should make use of all opportunities, such as a home office and free time to do something you want to do. – Take time off and go on that ski trip outside in lots of sunlight, get fresh air, vitamin D and have a great time. Otherwise, he practices what he calls “hedonistic training”. The definition of that is to only train things he finds fun. SWEETS: Many people crave sweets and fast carbohydrates in winter, but the psychologist emphasizes that you shouldn’t be ashamed if you indulge. In general, you should be kinder to yourself in winter. Especially in January, when many people get sick. Indulge in some treats and indulgences. – I want more coziness, less white January. Less pietistic and more hedonistic. Don’t fight winter We can also do something about our attitude to winter. Simply embrace what it has to offer, such as fireplaces, cookie baking, movie nights, good reading, or one of the many winter games. CONTROVERSY: Maybe naked skiing can be a good alternative to lower the heart rate and have fun at the same time. Photo: Veronica Aanesen – But what do you do if you really hate winter? – It’s a bit like living in the Sahara and hating sand. But you don’t have to be positive about winter, you can also be negative. Simply embrace those feelings. And here comes an uplifting fact. Some of the biggest cultural exports from Norway could not have been created without the darkness. – Munch’s paintings and black metal are dark things. I’ve played a lot in bands, and I don’t write punk rock lyrics in the summer. But in the winter I write a lot, says the psychologist. Photo: Robert Rønning / Robert Rønning / news You also don’t have to be an artistic genius to make something out of the dark feelings. Anyone can do what Freud calls sublimation. – You take negative feelings, and then you put them into practice. For example, you paint, draw, write poems or a book. You can use darkness and cold to make something good. Venting emotions is also very good for mental health. Take that trip and that flight But if you are completely stuck, or are simply extremely tired of winter, he has clear advice: – Escape. Travel to a place where the sun shines. It should be compulsory in Norway. And ideally close to the equator in January for the best yield, says Dehli. Such a holiday trip helps on three levels. Photo: Juan Medina / Scanpix/AP – People look forward to it for several weeks before the trip. While on tour, it is positive. And the third is that you get a huge store of vitamin D that the body can use for the rest of the winter. If the budget or climate conscience doesn’t stretch, he has an alternative: – Take advantage of the few hours of sunlight we have to sit in the sun or take a walk. Bosses should be much more flexible with the working day in winter, says the psychologist. The sleep researcher’s recipe Are you starting to get sleepy from the case? Most people sleep an average of half an hour more in winter. So you can take a well-deserved nap. Eivind Schjelderup Skarpsno is a sleep researcher at NTNU and has advice so you can get more out of your hours on the mattress. In the box below, you can swipe through the advice. Published 24.11.2024, at 17.48
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Dark times and winter depression – the best tips from the psychologist – Stor-Oslo
