Winter got you down?
During Michigan's long, cold winters, some people experience "winter blues" or more severe seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder:
SAD symptoms include low mood, lack of energy and increased sleeping and eating.
The most common pattern of SAD is depression in fall or winter with improved mood in the spring, but some people have the opposite pattern, with depression in the summer.
If you experience low mood during fall or winter, you may wish to:
- Use light therapy. You can use a light box at:
- CAPS Wellness Zone in Pierpont Commons, lower level
- Shapiro Undergraduate Library, lower level
- Or get your own light - the "Happy Light" from Verilux is one option
- Wake up to light to kick-start your system by purchasing a sunshine alarm clock or Build Your Own Sunrise Alarm Clock Using Smart Bulbs
- Take an online assessment to see if symptoms may be related to depression.
- Talk to a counselor at Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) -- free for currently enrolled U-M students
- Get recommendations and referrals by a UHS Care Manager
For more information:
See Resources for Stress and Mental Health which lists additional campus, local and national resources.