Sweet Martha’s Cookies, the State Fair, loons, a children’s game called Duck, Duck, Grey Duck – these were just a few things I had to learn about when my family moved to the Twin Cities from Kansas City a little over three years ago. Because Minneapolis is only a seven-hour drive from Kansas City, I didn’t think there would be many differences between the two. Boy, was I mistaken. As I soon found out, the differences were so much more than just cheese curds being introduced to my diet.
While getting used to new traditions and local ways of life, the one thing I was not prepared for was the toll the weather begins to take on a person’s psyche in late fall and throughout the winter months. As a youth pastor, I interact with a lot of different people. I have noticed that even some of our best students get grumpy and negative during the colder months, and the same mood change happens with many of their parents as well.
While I easily could have blamed how I felt on a decision I had made or something I had done, I quickly realized that it was something else. That "something else" had a name: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Coming from Kansas City, just a half-day drive south, I was unaware of the effect that the grey skies and weather have on people. Those living in the southern tier of the United States aren't noticeably impacted, but the farther north one goes, the percentage of people impacted increases.
So, in the northern latitudes, the sunlight level we experience impacts melatonin production, which in turn impacts our mood. The more the sun is hidden, the more it can affect our mood. In fact, I notice some negative mental tendencies in myself, especially during late October and November when the colder temperatures begin here in Minnesota. So, what should we do to handle it?
Three Simple Steps to Ease the Symptoms of SAD
While doctors may suggest medications and activities to help, I believe there are a few simple steps that can help us deal with SAD ourselves, as well as others' slumping moods.
1. Be diligent in prayer.
Without the foundation of prayer, it can be easy to fall into a mindset that you are alone in your feelings. The truth is that you are never alone. There are many others feeling the same way as you, and Christ is right there walking beside you every step of the way. He's always ready to give you a hand in helping you climb out of your mental slump. Just ask him!
2. Remind yourself that this season too will pass.
The season will change, and God will once again restore joy to your spirit. Adopting the right mindset that the season is only temporary will give you the strength to endure it. Refrain from making major decisions that could have a lasting impact during this time. Too often we let our mood guide us instead of the discernment we get from following God’s plan. Seek God's guidance as you push ahead through the season.
3. Give grace - a gift that isn't deserved.
Give grace to your melancholy student. Give grace to the grumpy bank teller. Give grace to the upset parent from your student’s sports team. Why? Because we know that their bodies will eventually adjust and they'll feel better. Also, as Jesus followers, we ought to imitate Christ. He gave us the ultimate example of extending grace because he gave us eternal life by dying on the cross when we were his enemies (Romans 5:10). We certainly didn’t deserve this gift, and it definitely wasn't an easy thing for him to do. Yet, he gave us grace. We must extend that same grace to those around us. And as you’re busy showing grace to others, don’t forget to extend the same grace to yourself.
We’re all in this together.
So, as the winter months are heavy upon us, the skies are a little greyer, the days are a little shorter, and the temperatures are a lot colder, take some vitamin D and practice love. We will all get through this together!
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