winter blues | Live Healthy Live Well

Don’t let daylight savings get you down

March 13 2025March 10, 2025

Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins on Sunday, March 9, 2025, at 2 a.m., when clocks advance by one hour to maximize evening daylight. This shift can disrupt our internal clocks, leading to sleep disturbances and potential health impacts. To ease the transition, consider the following strategies:

Gradually Adjust Your Sleep Schedule

In the days leading up to the time change, aim to go to bed and wake up 15–20 minutes earlier each day. This gradual shift helps your body adapt to the new schedule with minimal disruption.

sleepfoundation.org

Seek Morning Sunlight Exposure

Morning light exposure aids in resetting your internal clock. On the day after the time change, spend time outdoors in natural sunlight shortly after waking. If outdoor access is limited, consider using a light therapy box.

almanac.com

Maintain Consistent Bedtime Routines

Engage in relaxing activities before bedtime to signal your body that it’s time to wind down. This could include reading a book, taking a warm bath, or practicing meditation. Consistency in your pre-sleep routine reinforces healthy sleep patterns.

colorado.edu

Limit Exposure to Evening Light

Reducing exposure to bright and blue light in the evening can help signal to your body that it’s time to wind down. Consider dimming lights and avoiding screens at least an hour before bedtime.

sleepfoundation.org

Be Mindful of Napping

If you feel sleepy after the time change, a short nap (no more than 20 minutes) can be beneficial. However, avoid napping too close to bedtime, as it may interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night.

webmd.com

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Maintain a comfortable sleep environment by keeping your bedroom cool, quiet, and dark. Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime and engage in regular physical activity during the day to promote better sleep quality.

sleepfoundation.org

Implementing these tips can help mitigate the effects of the time change, promoting a smoother transition into Daylight Saving Time and supporting your overall health and well-being.

How to Prepare for the Start and end of Daylight Saving Time https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm/how-to-prepare-for-daylight-saving-time

5 tips to help your body adjust to the time change

https://www.almanac.com/5-tips-help-your-body-adjust-time-change

6 tips to help you fall back into standard time https://www.colorado.edu/health/blog/daylight-saving-tips

Daylight Savings: Health Effects and Tips

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/spring-forward-with-sleep-tips

Daylight Saving Time: Sleep Health & Tips https://extension.usu.edu/mentalhealth/articles/daylight-saving-time-sleep-health-and-tips.pdf

Hope IS a Strategy

February 2 2023

My husband, who works in IT, has a shirt that says, “Hope is Not a Strategy.” While this may be true in his line of work and many others, I dare say hope IS at least a partial strategy in many areas of life. For mental and behavioral health professionals hope is most definitely a widely-used strategy! When someone is struggling with a mental health challenge or substance use issue, professionals remind them there IS HOPE of recovery, as it can be difficult for folks to remember people CAN and DO recover.

This time of year can be more difficult for some people, especially those who struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or it’s milder form Winter Depression. Most people develop symptoms in late fall or early winter that persist until late Spring or Summer. Symptoms may include:

Feeling listless, sad, or down most of the day, nearly every day
Losing interest in activities you enjoyed
Having low energy and feeling sluggish
Sleeping too much
Experiencing carbohydrate cravings, overeating and weight gain
Difficulty concentrating
Feeling hopeless, worthless, or guilty
Having thoughts of not wanting to live

Spring and Summer SAD (SAD can occur ANY time of year) symptoms include:

Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
Poor appetite
Weight loss
Agitation or anxiety
Increased irritability

Even those who don’t have these symptoms may struggle at times, and HOPE can be a strategy to help. You can help folks who may be struggling to remember there is HOPE! There are people (mental health professionals) who can and want to help. There are things people can do for themselves to help manage and/or alleviate symptoms. There are people who love and care about them and seeking help is in NO WAY a sign of weakness.

Some self-care tips to maintain good mental health include:

Get regular exercise.
Eat healthy, regular meals and stay hydrated.
Make sleep a priority.
Try a relaxing activity.
Set goals and priorities.
Practice gratitude.
Focus on positivity.
Stay connected to friends and family.

It took me a long time to realize that I experience SAD because my symptoms start in late summer/early fall. When everyone else is giddy with the changing season, I am filled with dread. I have written about it several times to let others know that SAD does not just occur now. My symptoms actually start to improve as many others start to experience them. One key point about SAD is the re-occurrence of symptoms and the easing of them around the same time each year. Once I FINALLY realized why I unlike the rest of the planet, do not particularly care for fall, I was able to own it and be more proactive in helping myself and others to understand and cope better.

If you or someone you know or love has thoughts of suicide, please call the suicide and crisis hotline at 988 to be connected immediately to a mental health professional. There is HOPE!

References:

Aarth. (2020, April 22). 31 ways to work on your wellness. AARTH. Retrieved January 26, 2023, from https://www.aarth.org/post/31-ways-to-work-on-your-wellness

Deal better with Hard Times. Mental Health America. (n.d.). Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://mhanational.org/deal-better-hard-times

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021, December 14). Seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Caring for your mental health. National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved January 25, 2023, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health

Author: Misty Harmon, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Perry County, harmon.416@osu.edu

Reviewer: Ryan Kline, Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Youth Development Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Ross County

I Can’t Control the Winter Weather

January 24 2022April 21, 2025

If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life but still the same amount of snow. This quote by an unknown author is like the Midwest winter version of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s quote about a beautiful day at the ocean: you can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf. We cannot control the immediate, outside weather, but as Dr. Roseanne Scammahorn points out, we can control our personal, internal weather of how we think about and react to external situations.

In Ohio, we might have snow, rain, ice, or we might have a bright, clear day. Across the state, all these different situations might be true right now. You do not have to love snow (or ice or rain), but if you take the time to bring up a favorite memory or a current moment to notice the sparkle or freshness, you can add a note of gratefulness to your day for all the seasons throughout the year.

If you’re looking for a short break from working on the computer, take one and half minutes to enjoy an online snow globe or a minute to draw and watch your iceberg float at Iceberger. If you’re staying inside, grab some colored pencils and print a copy of winter coloring pages like mittens or winter birds. If coloring is not your cup of tea, make your plans now to slow down and enjoy a warm cup of tea, cocoa, or coffee.

We wish you comfort and joy all through the year, and we also acknowledge that the wintertime can sometimes be difficult. If you need any resources related to SAD (seasonal affective disorder) or other seasonal challenges, please find the best support for your situation. If you find yourself – or a loved one – struggling, please use local support or call the Ohio CareLine at 1-800-720-9616. Ohio’s CareLine is free, anonymous, open 24/7, and staffed with licensed behavioral health professionals.

What brings you comfort or joy? Jot down a list and then do more of it! This list of Mindfulness Ideas and Activities was collected by the OSU Mindful Wellness team and can be used as an idea-starter for your practice. If you’d like to follow a recorded mindfulness practice, we recommend the links at the Wexner Medical Center.

Bundle up and head outdoors! Use all your senses as you walk. Use this Live Healthy Live Well blog on Wonder and Wander in Nature this Winter for ideas. For more information on the value of nature in our lives, including articles and infographics, visit Nature Matters.

If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life but still the same amount of snow. How are you finding your joy this winter season?

Written by: Patrice Powers-Barker, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Lucas County

Reviewed by: Jenny Lobb, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Franklin County, and Pat Holmes, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Montgomery County

Photo Credit: Melinda Hill, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Ohio State University Extension Wayne County

Sources:

Dellifield, J. (01/12/17). Beating the winter blues. Live Healthy Live Well https://livehealthyosu.com/2017/01/12/beating-the-winter-blues-2/

Lobb, J. (01/07/21). Opt outside to beat the winter blues. Live Healthy Live Well. https://livehealthyosu.com/2021/01/07/opt-outside-to-beat-the-winter-blues/

McCallum, K. (07/14/21). Can weather affect your mood? Houston Methodist. https://www.houstonmethodist.org/blog/articles/2021/jul/can-weather-affect-your-mood/

Scammahorn, R. (01/18/22). You control your own weather. Live Healthy Live Well https://livehealthyosu.com/2022/01/18/you-control-your-own-weather/

Seasonal Affective Disorder. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651

Stanton, L. (11/30/21). Wonder and wander in nature this winter. Live Healthy Live Well https://livehealthyosu.com/2021/11/30/wonder-and-wander-in-nature-this-winter/

Stanton, L. (n.d.). Nature Matters. OSU Extension, Warren County. https://warren.osu.edu/program-areas/family-and-consumer-sciences/healthy-people/nature-matters