Introduction:

You might be asking yourself why I have chosen to title this post as SAD Monday. Well there’s a simple reason, the 15th of January was designated, ‘Blue Monday' in the mid 2000s by a company that shall remain nameless, who cited that it was the most depressing day of the year. Personally, I think this is just a marketing gimmick to get you to buy something you think you need to make yourself happy. Instead of that nonsense, I’d like to give you a little value and discuss a very real and sometimes very serious condition that some people live with in the winter months: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

As the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, many people find themselves experiencing a change in mood and energy levels. If you've ever noticed feeling down, fatigued, or irritable during the colder months, you might be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Fortunately, there are proactive steps you can take to combat the winter blues and brighten up your life. In this article, we'll explore what SAD is, its common symptoms, and how exercise, along with personal health strategies, can be powerful tools in alleviating its effects.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) significantly impacts many people as the seasons change, particularly during the shorter, darker days of winter. One of the effective ways to manage SAD symptoms is through maintaining a regular exercise routine.

Common Signs & Symptoms of SAD

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that occurs seasonally, primarily during the fall and winter months. It is believed to be related to changes in light exposure, with shorter daylight hours triggering shifts in mood and behaviour. SAD is not just a case of the "winter blues" but a clinically recognised mental health condition that can significantly impact a person's well-being.

SAD can manifest with a range of symptoms, which may vary in severity from person to person. Common signs of SAD include:

Persistent Low Mood: Individuals with SAD often experience feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and despair for most of the day, nearly every day.

Loss of Interest or Pleasure: A diminished interest in activities once enjoyed, including hobbies, socialising, and work-related tasks.

Fatigue and Low Energy: Feeling constantly tired and lacking the motivation to engage in daily activities.

Increased Sleep: SAD can lead to excessive sleep or difficulty in staying awake during the day, despite getting enough sleep at night.

Weight Gain: Cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods and weight gain are common during the winter months for those with SAD.

Difficulty Concentrating: Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering details.

Irritability: Heightened irritability, restlessness, or feelings of agitation.

It's essential to recognise that not everyone experiences all these symptoms, and the severity can vary. However, if you find yourself consistently struggling with these issues during the winter, it's crucial to seek professional help.

The Role of Exercise in Alleviating SAD:

While personal health strategies, including a balanced diet and light therapy, are essential components of managing SAD, exercise and physical activity play a significant role in alleviating its symptoms. Let's explore the ways in which exercise can positively impact your mood and well-being during the winter months.

Exercise is beneficial for those suffering from SAD as it boosts mood and well-being. Aerobic exercises, such as running, yoga, tai chi, or meditation, are particularly effective. These activities don't just benefit the body; they also help in alleviating symptoms of depression associated with SAD.

In addition to outdoor and home-based exercise routines, gym-based exercise offers a structured and supportive environment for individuals dealing with SAD. Gyms provide access to a wide range of equipment and classes that can help combat the winter blues effectively.

Cardiovascular Activity: Gyms typically offer various cardiovascular machines such as treadmills, stationary bikes, elliptical trainers, and rowing machines. These provide excellent opportunities for aerobic exercise, which is particularly beneficial for those with SAD. Cardiovascular workouts elevate your heart rate, increase blood flow, and stimulate the release of endorphins, enhancing your mood and reducing feelings of depression.

Group Fitness Classes: Many gyms offer group fitness classes that cater to different fitness levels and interests. Classes like spinning, dance aerobics, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be not only invigorating but also social, providing an opportunity to interact with others, combat isolation, and boost your mood.

Indoor Swimming: If you enjoy swimming, indoor pools at gyms offer a perfect solution for year-round exercise. Swimming is a full-body workout that can help you stay active during the winter months, even when outdoor swimming options are limited.

Cardiovascular activities such as running, biking, and swimming have been shown to have several positive effects on mental health, particularly for individuals with SAD:

Endorphin Release: These activities trigger the release of endorphins, which act as natural mood enhancers and help reduce feelings of sadness and depression.

Stress Reduction: Cardiovascular exercise promotes the reduction of stress hormones like cortisol, leading to a calmer state of mind and decreased anxiety.

Enhanced Sleep Quality: Regular cardiovascular exercise can improve sleep quality, which is often disrupted in individuals with SAD. A restful night's sleep is essential for overall well-being and mood regulation.

Increased Energy: Engaging in aerobic activities increases oxygen flow and energy levels, countering the fatigue commonly associated with SAD.

Strength training, often done using weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises, is another valuable component of an exercise routine for those with SAD:

Muscle Development: Strength training helps build and tone muscles, improving overall body composition and boosting self-esteem.

Metabolism Support: As muscle mass increases, the body's metabolism becomes more efficient, aiding in weight management – a key concern for many individuals with SAD due to carbohydrate cravings.

Endurance and Stamina: Strength training enhances endurance and stamina, which can counteract feelings of low energy and lethargy often experienced during the winter months.

Joint Health: Proper strength training can support joint health and reduce the risk of injury, allowing for consistent exercise even in cold weather.

For a well-rounded approach to managing SAD, consider combining cardiovascular and strength training exercises into your routine. Many gyms offer designated areas with weights and resistance equipment, allowing you to incorporate strength training alongside your aerobic workouts.

Balancing both forms of exercise can offer comprehensive benefits, from mood improvement and stress reduction through cardiovascular activities to muscle development and metabolism support through strength training. It's essential to tailor your exercise plan to your individual preferences and fitness level, seeking guidance from fitness professionals when needed.

By embracing gym-based exercise, cardiovascular activity, and strength training, you can create a holistic approach to managing SAD that maximises your well-being during the winter months. The gym environment provides a supportive space to stay active, boost your mood, and maintain a healthy lifestyle, even when outdoor conditions may be less inviting.

Outdoor Exercise Tips:

For those who prefer outdoor activities, it's still possible to exercise safely before sunrise or after sunset. Wearing reflective clothing and using a blinking light for visibility are recommended. It's also advised to choose safe, well-lit areas and be mindful of the surroundings.

Many of you will be no stranger to the sight of a reflective clad individual flashing (if you’ll pardon the pun) their blinking light up and down the pavement of the main road. It might look intense, but give it a try, there’s really something about breathing in outdoor air and having some headspace that helps, alongside other benefits of exercise such as endorphin release and general health benefits that will support the body’s biological functions. If we look after the body, it will look after us.

If the thought of being that reflective-clad individual still doesn’t appeal to you, that’s chill - try taking a hike in the country-side or even your local park on your day off. There is a lot to be said for being outdoors amongst the greenery and having a little space from the chaos that modern life can be.

Indoor Exercise Alternatives:

Indoor exercise can be equally effective. Incorporating resistance training at home with equipment like dumbbells or resistance bands is beneficial. Bodyweight exercises such as pushups, planks, and squats can also be done easily at home. For those who have access, using aerobic devices like stationary bikes or treadmills can be a great addition.

Sticking to an indoor exercise routine can be easier said than done though and, especially if you are living with the impacts of SAD, it can be hard to firstly keep the motivation and secondly keep your energy. Why not think about working with a personal trainer? Most of us who are personal trainers do the job because we love helping people and if we can help you get a positive outcome then we are absolutely here for it.

It can be a minefield choosing the right personal trainer for you, but once you find that person, they’ll be able to offer you more personalised support in getting balance of exercise and rest correct to help support dealing with symptoms of SAD.

If you’ve had a look in your local area, or even online and you’re struggling to find someone who fits your needs, have a think…

Are you the only person looking for this service? Almost certainly not is the answer, and you’ve identified a niche in your local market. If this is you, drop us a message, at Motion Fitness Education, we specialise in helping you into the industry, developing your niche and guiding you towards offering impactful services.

Consistency and Habit Building:

Developing a habit of regular exercise is crucial. It takes about three months to establish a new activity as a habit. Maintaining this habit, especially during the challenging months, is helpful in managing SAD effectively.

If habit forming was easy, we’d all be masters of that new, exciting hobby we all started three New Years ago, but sadly, it’s not that easy.

Let’s give you some tools in your tool box to help you on your way though; start with only one thing. It might be sleep, it might be eating five green things in a day, or perhaps even spend 5 minutes getting yourself comfortable on a gym floor before leaving again.

It doesn’t matter what it is, pick the one thing that will make it a little easier for you to be consistent and you’ll get there little bit by little bit. The secret to healthy habit forming is that none of us get there instantly, everyone who has consistent and healthy habits has the fundamentals of sleep, nutrition and rest in place.

From there, add one thing every week and the sky will be your limit.

Consulting Healthcare Providers:

Most importantly, at Motion Fitness Education, we want to give you any guidance and support we can, we’re all fitness professionals at heart and we’d love to help you in any small way we can.

We’re not, however, medical professionals and SAD can be a really serious condition. If symptoms of depression, whether seasonal or not, become overwhelming, it is important to speak to a primary care provider and seek help. In the first instance we’d recommend that this should be your GP or another medical professional.

If you’re not quite there yet, or you just want to speak to someone, we’d recommend having a look through some of the fantastic charities and organisations listed by the NHS at the below link:

https://sandyhealthcentre.nhs.uk/practice-information/a-z-list-of-organisations-for-mental-health/

Conclusion:

Regular exercise plays a crucial role in managing Seasonal Affective Disorder. By understanding the different ways to stay active, either indoors or outdoors, and the importance of consistency, individuals affected by SAD can find effective ways to boost their mood and overall well-being during the challenging months.

Much love,

Team Motion

References and Further Reading

This guide provides an overview of how exercise can help in managing Seasonal Affective Disorder, with specific recommendations for both outdoor and indoor activities. The information is based on insights from experts and healthcare professionals from Baylor College of Medicine and Allina Health. For more detailed information and additional resources, it's recommended to consult the original articles from Neuroscience News and Allina Health.