Humbug
I wrote this article about this time last year.
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I’ve Got Winter Blues
By Ryan Linderson
I love this time of year, always have. The colors, the smells, the cool air. Never been much of a heat person, in fact I can say flat out, I hate the heat. Football season is great. Thanksgiving is just around the corner with my mom’s sausage stuffing (all things in moderation) and right after that is wrestling season. Being a wrestling coach makes that an important time of year for me.
Something else begins to happen around this time of year. Some people begin to feel rundown. They have less energy. The days seem to go by faster and they get less and less done. They basically feel terrible. Perhaps some of you have experienced this. It’s sometimes refered to as the “winter blues.” I know it’s not really winter yet but this is the time of year it usually starts.
It’s called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. There is some debate in the medical world if this actually exsists. I’ve said before and I’ll say again, I am no doctor. But, I do think there is at least some merit to this because I tend to have a little bit of a harder time getting in gear in the winter months. I still do, it’s just a smidge tougher.
The consensis amoung those who think this is a real disorder is that SAD is caused by lower serotonin levels in the brain. People suffering from depression have low serotonin levels as well. Also migraines, aggression, sleep disturbances, mood shifts and anxiety have all been linked to low serotonin.
There have been bonafide scientific studies suggesting serotonin levels are at their lowest during the days with the least sunlight and highest during the days with the most sunlight.
Let’s recap: Fall/winter means less sunlight, less sunlight means lower serotonin levels in the brain, lower serotonin in the brain could lead to depression, hence the blues. The winter blues. That not-so-great rundown feeling. Along with that comes a less of a chance you will be able to motivate yourself to exercise.
This is a good time to recommit (or commit) yourself to fitness. The winter blues can be a bear. A big, fat, smelly bear getting in your way and keeping you from exercising. Scare that bear away with some loud yelling and a poke with a stick. That stick is your own determination. Forget about playing dead.
Exercise can increase serotonin levels. Again, some people will debate this and I am no doctor. There have been some studies suggesting the exercise and serotonin link. It just makes sense. My own personal study is: when I exercise I feel better. That’s all the proof I need.
There are other ways to beat the winter blues. In fact, these two ideas are good to do all the time. Eat less sugar. Drink less caffiene. While these seem to “give” you energy they really don’t. Temporary sugar highs and chemical caffiene buzzes are not energy.
“Exercise makes me tired! How can something that makes me tired give me more energy?!” Common question. The actual biology of the situation is not in the scope of this article. I’ll challenge you to prove me wrong. Try it out for yourself and see how you feel.
Beat those ol’ rundown winter blues with a nice dose of exercise with a side order of a determined attitude. As a bonus you’ll burn off some of those extra holiday calories you’ll be consuming soon. Don’t lie, you know you will.
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Train smart,
RL
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I’ve Got Winter Blues
By Ryan Linderson
I love this time of year, always have. The colors, the smells, the cool air. Never been much of a heat person, in fact I can say flat out, I hate the heat. Football season is great. Thanksgiving is just around the corner with my mom’s sausage stuffing (all things in moderation) and right after that is wrestling season. Being a wrestling coach makes that an important time of year for me.
Something else begins to happen around this time of year. Some people begin to feel rundown. They have less energy. The days seem to go by faster and they get less and less done. They basically feel terrible. Perhaps some of you have experienced this. It’s sometimes refered to as the “winter blues.” I know it’s not really winter yet but this is the time of year it usually starts.
It’s called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. There is some debate in the medical world if this actually exsists. I’ve said before and I’ll say again, I am no doctor. But, I do think there is at least some merit to this because I tend to have a little bit of a harder time getting in gear in the winter months. I still do, it’s just a smidge tougher.
The consensis amoung those who think this is a real disorder is that SAD is caused by lower serotonin levels in the brain. People suffering from depression have low serotonin levels as well. Also migraines, aggression, sleep disturbances, mood shifts and anxiety have all been linked to low serotonin.
There have been bonafide scientific studies suggesting serotonin levels are at their lowest during the days with the least sunlight and highest during the days with the most sunlight.
Let’s recap: Fall/winter means less sunlight, less sunlight means lower serotonin levels in the brain, lower serotonin in the brain could lead to depression, hence the blues. The winter blues. That not-so-great rundown feeling. Along with that comes a less of a chance you will be able to motivate yourself to exercise.
This is a good time to recommit (or commit) yourself to fitness. The winter blues can be a bear. A big, fat, smelly bear getting in your way and keeping you from exercising. Scare that bear away with some loud yelling and a poke with a stick. That stick is your own determination. Forget about playing dead.
Exercise can increase serotonin levels. Again, some people will debate this and I am no doctor. There have been some studies suggesting the exercise and serotonin link. It just makes sense. My own personal study is: when I exercise I feel better. That’s all the proof I need.
There are other ways to beat the winter blues. In fact, these two ideas are good to do all the time. Eat less sugar. Drink less caffiene. While these seem to “give” you energy they really don’t. Temporary sugar highs and chemical caffiene buzzes are not energy.
“Exercise makes me tired! How can something that makes me tired give me more energy?!” Common question. The actual biology of the situation is not in the scope of this article. I’ll challenge you to prove me wrong. Try it out for yourself and see how you feel.
Beat those ol’ rundown winter blues with a nice dose of exercise with a side order of a determined attitude. As a bonus you’ll burn off some of those extra holiday calories you’ll be consuming soon. Don’t lie, you know you will.
---
Train smart,
RL
posted by Ryan at 8:48 AM
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