Beyond Blue Monday – Tips for Surviving the Winter Blues
Whew! We’ve just passed the third Monday in January, recently popularized as ‘Blue Monday’, the most depressing day of the year. According to some, it is the perfect storm of badness: all the bills from Christmas have rolled in revealing a very empty financial cupboard; the weather is at its worst; there’s no holiday on the horizon that we can look forward to; the warm glow of Christmas and New Years has long since worn off, the new electronic gadgets have either broken down or lost their ability to excite; and we’ve likely broken our New Year’s resolutions. If you’re adversely affected by periods of grey gloomy sky (that’s me), put on an extra 10 pounds or so having lost an unfair fight with Christmas shortbread (check), and are a mid-40s male (strike three), you’re likely trying to just survive January.
Thankfully, I am a trained economist and know how to deal with this. In terms of mid-40s males, there’s not much you can do about it. Recent research indicates that middle-aged guys are by far the least happy humans on the planet. Even when the presence of snarly teenagers, receding hair, expanding girth and other horrific middle-age realties are removed from the situation, there’s no arguing with the evidence. Mercifully, it only gets better from here. By the time we’ve reached our seventies, our levels of happiness are soaring. It’s not just a North American phenomenon. It’s across all cultures. Women, if you’re interested, are always a little happier than guys. However, they experience higher highs and lower lows.
The other factors are somewhat within our control. The grey Kootenay skies, in addition to keeping small aircraft from landing, are also brutal for some who have the winter blues, now referred to as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). While some suggest special lights, ionized air or even the hormone melatonin, my therapy involves getting into the sunlight for exercise as much as I can. Without trips to the ski hill, outdoor hockey rink or brisk walks for those brief early morning moments of sunshine, I would be done for.
In terms of the weight gain, there are probably a million and one books on the subject. “Why We Get Fat and What To Do About It” by Gary Taubes offers a different approach. He recommends quality carbs. The more refined the carb (think white flour, refined sugar, potatoes), the more insulin the body produces. Insulin stores all this as fat. While your body might crave this instant fuel (research has discovered that it is not just a mind game – you’re also fighting your stomach), it’s important to resist by eating proteins, fats (yes, bacon is good says Taubes) and lots of low-sugar carbs like green veggies and berries.
Other research has indicated there are simple ways to overcome seasonal blues. Napping 20-30 minutes a day will improve fitness, memory, and mood (you might want to check with the boss before you lay out the mat for a midday siesta!). Socializing is also a time-tested mood booster. A Harvard study found that people without strong social connections – we’re not talking about Facebook – are two to three times more likely to die over a decade. Perhaps this is why coffee shops are packed on the dreariest of winter days. The other surefire depression-beater is volunteering. Helping others boosts happiness not just immediately but for days afterwards. If you’re looking to volunteer, there are dozens of
Just remember, we’ve survived the worst of it. From here on in, the days are getting longer and warmer. Good luck surviving the rest of the winter!
Mike Stolte runs the Centre for Innovative & Entrepreneurial
Leadership (CIEL – www.theCIEL.com ) based in Nelson. He also occasionally writes and blogs as the Happy Economist.
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