By Lisa Jancarik
Ugh. It’s that time of year again. Halloween is over, and the splendor of the Pennsylvania October has lost its war of attrition against the autumn’s cold rain and high winds. This is the time of year when I start to struggle with my mood. We’re a bit prone to depression in my family, although to varying degrees. I have been feeling my mood slide into an unfounded sadness the past couple of weeks. Apparently, it’s not so uncommon for people who don’t actually make the DSM criteria for seasonal affective disorder to experience the same thing, or so a little digging on the internet has told me.
This year, I’m going to fight it consciously. My current strategy is twofold. First, I’m spending more time outside than strictly necessary to entertain the dog. Some research suggests that the blue part of the visual light spectrum impacts mood directly, which is why the newer lights used to treat SAD amp up the blue wavelengths rather than the full spectrum. I’m trying to go the old-fashioned route of exposing myself to more blue sky. This part of the strategy is in peril, however, as Pittsburgh only gets sunshine about five more days annually than does Seattle. I had heard that before and didn’t believe it, but I looked it up…sure enough, it’s true.
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/pctposrank.txt
The second part of my strategy is a war on clutter as a means to improve my mood. Unfortunately, Google has let me down for scholarly articles to support the notion that cleaning up this winter will help me manage my mood because our family clutter is the garden-variety mess, not rising to the level of hoarding. Still, the conventional wisdom seems to be on the side of straightening up (if you happen to have some research in this arena you are willing to share, please email UMM).
Tidying up is a process for which results are readily observable, and it appeals to my goal-directed nature. As much as I hate to clean, tackling the closet in the kid’s room took less time than expected, and I’ve reclaimed some storage space we’ll need after Christmas. Plus, cleaning off the flat surfaces in the kitchen just in time for the puppy’s taste for counter-surfing to kick in means that I spend less time yelling at her and more time enjoying a pleasant work environment (I do most of my writing at the kitchen table).
I don’t think there’s too much risk that I’ll develop a cleaning obsession in the process of fighting my low mood. There’s plenty of clutter in our house to keep a perfectly well-adjusted individual busy through the winter. Wish me luck!
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Yes, the change in the weather and daylight savings have affected my mood. I am feeling tired and do not want to go to the gym but I want to eats lots of carbs! The goal is to adjust to the changes in light and season. When I get home, I switch on all the lights, which makes me feel happier (by trying to create my own home light box). I do not like exercising after dark. Taking walks and jogging at lunchtime, instead of waiting until the evening has helped to feel more alive and energized! Please share any tips with UMM!
I myself am not affected by SAD. In fact, I am photon-phobic, if there is such a condition. I must be related to a mole. I love rainy days and the dark and EST. What does that say about me? Also, I am not at all depressed. Lisa will tell you that I make my own party, so to speak.
Lisa grew up with clutter. (So sue me; I was more ready to shop.) We could never have a meal at our dining room table. I admit it–I am a flat-surface abuser. If friends are expected, I have to stuff everything in some box and hide it in a closet or the basement. I do think, however, that kids are affected by clutter. As a retired elementary teacher, I believe that children from organized homes perform better academically. I have no proof, incidentally, but kids from a messy home, in my 35+ years of public education experience, rarely seemed as well-prepared for school as those kids from obviously-organized families–Lisa, of course, being a counterexample.