Winter blues, what is it and what can we do to prevent it?

The winter blues. When leaves begin to fall some people start feeling low. Why is that? Is there something you can do about it?

Suddenly October hits. The sun is making rare appearances, rain takes over, and the grey skies become part of the daily routines. When the days getting colder and shorter, it is not uncommon for students to get what is called the winter blues. ‘Although symptoms can vary from person to person, during autumn and winter some people notice a change in their eating habits, sleeping patterns and a decrease in energy levels overall’, says Allard van Leeuwen, student psychologist at Hanze University of Applied Sciences.

‘All the friends I had made… all of a sudden we were very sad’

International students can have an additional problem. Especially those who come from warmer countries, can have a difficult time adjusting to the Dutch winter.
‘In my first autumn in Groningen I was kind of romanticising it’, says Jennifer Mylonopoulou, a Design student at Hanze. ‘Like oh, my god, it’s gloomy, it’s romantic, it’s raining all the time.’ But then December came. ‘All the friends I had made… all of a sudden we were very sad.’ Jennifer, who is from Greece, has been living in The Netherlands for over two years now. She still remembers her first experience with Dutch weather: ‘I was very sick of looking up at the sky and it not being blue.’

The winter blues can have a significant impact on school performance. ‘It was my first year here and I was just like: I need to get good grades and study’, says Una Laizāne, an International Business student from Latvia. ‘But at the same time, I just didn’t have any energy.’ Una found it hard to do common day activities. Simple tasks such as cooking dinner were draining her energy. Although Una is no stranger to cold weather, she found the wind and constant rain difficult to deal with.

The majority of people who suffer from the winter blues struggle with low energy

Van Leeuwen states that the winter blues is not necessarily the only factor impacting students’ productivity, but it is a main contributor. ‘Slowing down in winter is a natural state of our body, and allowing yourself to slow down is part of the process’, he explains. ‘It’s a very natural phenomenon that we can kind of adapt ourselves to’, he says. The student psychologist states that while the majority of people who have the winter blues struggle with low energy, others can be affected more severely.
In that case, it is an official disorder, which is called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. This disorder is a form of depression that typically happens during a specific season. It can be diagnosed as SAD if it happens for at least two years in a row without any non-seasonal depressive episodes in between during this time.

People with SAD generally experience loss of interest in activities that would normally bring them joy. ‘It’s a state of the nervous system where you kind of disconnect’, says Van Leeuwen. ‘You tend to pull back from life generally speaking, so you stay at home more.’ In the Netherlands, a report by the University Medical Center Groningen showed that approximately three percent of the population suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Now that we know you suffer from SAD, what can you do?

If your symptoms are more severe, it is important to reach out for help. Although sometimes it’s not that simple, getting professional counselling is the first step in order to get a correct diagnosis. Hanze students can easily book a first appointment with a student support psychologist via the website. ‘It’s more like a screening where we see if you’re in the right place with us or if it’s better if you go through the GP or other care’, says Van Leeuwen. With depression, people tend to isolate, which only worsens the situation. 

Exposure to daylight has a direct positive effect on mood, sleep, cognition and performance

If you’re experiencing milder symptoms, meeting with friends and doing small activities that bring joy are some of the ways to cope with the winter blues. Having an established group of friends has helped Jennifer cope with her gloomy mood. ‘We can meet at each other’s houses and that is always better than going out and having to put up with being out in the rain or cycling against the wind, so that helps.’

A study by the University of Groningen shows that exposure to daylight has a direct effect on mood, sleep, cognition and performance. Therefore, going out even for a small walk everyday can have significant improvements on mental health.
Van Leeuwen agrees, it certainly is important to stay in motion. ‘But also allow yourself to slow down. Expecting high levels of energy is perhaps not realistic during winter, and resisting fatigue can only make you more tired. However, it is important to look for professional counselling before jumping to conclusions.’