Maintaining a happy, healthy attitude during the winter holiday season is very difficult for many people. The stress of all the activities, buying presents, decorating, cooking, and working are all contributors. Throw in the fact that many people are unemployed with money problems and tensions quickly get out of hand.

While it is normal for stress and anxiety to affect the way we feel, all these stressors occur at a particularly vulnerable time of year. The nights are longer. The days are shorter and cold. Outside activities are limited and pressure is on to provide the perfect holiday experience for our family and friends.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder in which people experience depressive symptoms for the few winter months but who have normal mental health throughout the rest of the year. As the days lengthen and warm up, these symptoms disappear.

The elderly are particularly vulnerable to this disorder because the weather is a limiting factor in their outdoors activities. Especially in the northern areas, they tend to remain indoors because of the potential for injury in the ice and snow.

Symptoms of SAD may consist of difficulty waking up in the morning, morning sickness, tendency to oversleep as well as to overeat, and especially a craving for carbohydrates, which leads to weight gain. Other symptoms include a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating on completing tasks, and withdrawal from friends, family, and social activities. All of this leads to the depression, pessimistic feelings of hopelessness, and lack of pleasure which characterize a person suffering from this disorder.

If you, or a friend or family member, exhibit some of these traits, be assured that they are temporary and will alleviate as the months roll by. Recognizing the symptoms and acknowledging they exist is a major step in dealing with all the resulting feelings and emotions. Steps can then be taken to alleviate some of these contributing causes. The realization that this is a temporary emotional feeling is a big factor in dealing with everyday issues.

There are many different treatments for SAD including light therapy with sunlight or bright lights based on the theory that vitamin D levels are too low when people do not get enough Ultraviolet-B on their skin. Taking additional vitamin D supplements works well with some people.

Make extra efforts to get exercise each day or spend additional time outside. Oftentimes, just knowing that you are regaining control over your life is the boost needed to lessen the emotional effects. Helping another person get through this temporary season often relieves the tensions in the helper.

Then, as winter’s grip on the earth is released, so too will the grip of SAD be released on emotions and general life outlook. Problems will not disappear, but the ability to handle them efficiently and effectively will return. Know that millions of other people are experiencing these same symptoms. Enjoy the holidays in spite of emotions that get out of hand occasionally.

Learn to experience each day based on its own merits because who knows what tomorrow will bring. Make a commitment to yourself to be happy as much as possible during any event that comes your way. Some days will naturally be more difficult than others. Some will be easier. The control you exercise to make being “Happy” a habit puts you back in charge of your life.