Dark days and gloomy weather
Staying positive during the darkest time of the year
Life after daylight savings is … dark. I wake up to cold, cloudy mornings, walk to class in cold, dark weather and walk out of my evening class to complete darkness. This time of year feels like living in a never-ending cycle of night.
Trying to stay productive and have energy can be difficult when the days are frigid. It takes everything in me to get out of my warm, cozy bed to face the gloominess outside. It doesn’t help that this time of year is already filled with the demands of the end of the semester and the stress of the holidays.
Though I live for the cold, cloudy days and curling up with a hot cup of coffee under a big blanket, I always feel my mood dimming and my productivity waning as winter sets in. It feels as though everyone around me feels the same way. In many ways, the darkness and winter weather feel as though they impact my mental health.
Executive Director of Counseling Services Melissa Hutchinson and Counselor Julie Fortino Shurtliff said these feelings are normal during the winter.
“As humans we need light,” Shurtliff said. “Anyone this far north should be taking vitamin D.”
Shurtliff said that this need for light can have an impact on our melatonin and serotonin levels. These impacts can affect our energy levels throughout the year. We tend to have more energy during brighter times of the year and have less energy during the dark times.
“(Light) can play an impact on our hormones … our body operates on cycles and rhythms,” Hutchinson said. “Sunlight can impact our body’s natural rhythms.”
Just because you're feeling a little sluggish during these times doesn't mean that these feelings are anything to worry about.
“Just because we’re experiencing this, it doesn’t mean that our mental health is bad,” Hutchinson said. We can still be mentally healthy and feel these feelings. It’s all about how we deal with these feelings that make a difference.
There are many ways to help combat low, tiresome feelings during the winter. Some of these strategies are:
- Staying active
- Eating healthy
- Investing in a full-spectrum light
Hutchinson and Shurtliff said staying active and keeping moving doesn’t have to be complicated.
“(It can mean) anything you can do to just get up, (and) get moving,” Hutchinson said. "This could mean parking further away in a parking lot so you have to walk further, or taking the stairs instead of using the elevator to get places."
Since I started living on campus this semester, I’ve found small ways of staying active, even when I’m constantly busy. I am always walking to my classes and taking the stairs instead of elevators to make sure I keep moving.
Eating healthy can help elevate your mood and energy levels. We tend to eat heavier foods when it gets colder, Hutchinson said. While heavier foods are okay, they can keep us feeling lethargic. Finding ways to incorporate light foods throughout the day can help sustain your energy throughout the day.
With the constant darkness, another strategy that can be used is investing in a full-spectrum light, which mimics sunlight. Shurtliff said that the lamp she uses is called a "happy light" which can be found on Amazon. Spending thirty minutes a day by these lights can be beneficial, Shurtliff said.
While sluggishness and unproductivity are normal, they could also stem from other issues. It’s always important to open up and talk through struggles. Hutchinson and Shurtliff said that the counseling services at Central Michigan are available for students who need support.
You can call the Counseling Center or submit a request on the counseling service’s website. Counselors are available for students to make appointments from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday. For urgent situations, the center also offers counseling services after hours, on weekends and on holidays. This number can be found on their website.
Grace Walker is a Central Michigan Life staff reporter and a sophomore studying journalism and political science.
