When the nights are longer, and the days are shorter, winter can cause people to feel tired and sluggish. People fall into a type of seasonal depression, a time where motivation and the urge to get anything done is gone. How come the winter seasons cause this?
For some, it isn’t just oversleeping and being unenergetic. Some people experience excessive tiredness, grogginess, lack of energy and low mood which are all symptoms of a disorder known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a form of depression that starts when the days get shorter, symptoms can start to show late fall and can stop during spring or even the summer.
During different seasons hormones can start to change as well, this can change moods and energy levels. Melatonin is a hormone that the pineal gland controls. The pineal gland controls melatonin levels by releasing it more as it gets darker. An imbalance of hormones can fluctuate moods, a high level of melatonin can harm your mood.
The circadian rhythm is the cycle of sleep, it is very sensitive to light, so with the shorter days everyone’s circadian rhythm is completely thrown off. Lily Fields, senior, experiences something that could be the result of this. Fields said, “I feel like I’m way more tired in the winter, and it’s hard to get excited about anything when it’s cold and dark all the time.”
Students feel the pressure of school along with time-changes, meaning their mental health has to be prioritized. Students need to recognize the importance of focusing on personal growth without letting their everyday life slip, having healthy habits can counteract this and promote happy lifestyles.
Leave a Reply