How to Beat the Winter Blahs
Edmonton is in the grip of a cold snap. For a while, between the actual temperatures and the wind chill, it felt like -48C. The wind has mostly died down over the past couple of days, but the weather is still absolutely frigid. The roads are mostly ice (and bumpy as hell on the side roads). Cars don’t warm up until they’ve already arrived at their destination. Those braves souls who ride transit stand stoically at unsheltered bus stops, waiting for steel chariots that are running as close to schedule as possible (up to 30 minutes late, earlier in the week).
For many people, this weather is resulting is a mad case of the winter blahs. At first, I felt this way too, but no longer. Would it be nice if it were warmer? Sure, but I can’t do anything about the weather, so I figure that I might as well just roll with it.
The biggest cure for the winter blahs, I think, is to get out of the house.
It’s tempting, in this kind of weather, to stay home and hibernate. And, if you’re with the right company, that might not be a bad idea. But, personally, I think that getting out of the house helps a lot. Even if all you do is drive 10 minutes to visit a friend, getting out of the house will help you break the rut of the winter blahs.
So, don’t stay home this weekend. Get out there and see what’s happening in River City. Go to a movie, take in a play, check out a concert, or even just go for lunch with your best friend. Just don’t stay home this weekend, Edmonton.
If you are feeling really blue vitamin D is really a great thing to take every day. 2 pills and your mood changes drastically. Trust me it’s helped me a lot.
Rosemary
5 Feb 08 at 12:41 pm
Yeah, vitamin D deficiency is one of the main reasons that a lot of Canadian’s suffer from the winter blues, or even actual Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). That’s why they add vitamin D to milk in this country.
I guess pills would work, too. But, ultimately, it’s still best to get it naturally, via sunlight. Luckily, the days are starting to get longer, and it’s actually possible to get in a few good hours of sunlight these days (even if it’s just through a window).
Adam Snider
5 Feb 08 at 1:08 pm
A UV lamp can work wonders, too, as it will help your body produce vitamin D naturally, even in the absence of direct sunlight.
Adam Snider
5 Feb 08 at 1:09 pm
I’ve never noticed the lack of sunlight much, I think my crippling caffeine dependency keeps the SAD at bay by utterly demolishing my circadian rhythms.
Also doesn’t Vitamin D promote the absorption of calcium from food and such (and thus make bones strong!)? That strikes me as a more reasonable reason for it being in milk.
allan
5 Feb 08 at 9:18 pm
That is correct, and does make sense. I’ve heard it’s because of the lack of sunlight, though.
Adam Snider
5 Feb 08 at 9:19 pm