If you’ve been looking out the window only to see a dark night sky at 5 PM, you’re not alone. Canadian winters often come with early sunsets and chilly temperatures, keeping us indoors more than usual and leaving us with lower vitamin D levels. You may also notice that things start to feel a bit heavier, quieter, and less social around this time.
The good news? Spreading warmth through small random acts of kindness can help you (and those around you) get higher in spirits! We spoke with Laura Cavanagh, MA, RP, RBA (ON), to understand the psychology behind kindness, mood, and mental wellbeing. Let’s get into it.
Get to know Laura Cavanagh
Laura Cavanagh is a full-time professor at Seneca and an academic coordinator of the Behavioural Sciences Diploma program. She teaches courses in psychology and the behavioural studies program. Laura is also a registered psychotherapist and registered behaviour analyst, and has maintained a private practice since 2003.
She is the author of Essentials of Understanding Psychology, an introductory psychology textbook, and Hope Against Hope: Addiction, Treatment and Recovery, a textbook for addictions counselors.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a condition that many Canadians experience during the colder months. According to Laura, SAD is “a depressive episode for most people that’s affected by the seasons. And for most people, that means it develops in the fall and winter and resolves in the summer months.”
SAD is often linked to a variety of symptoms, depending on the individual. This can include:
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Low mood
- Sense of sadness
- An urge to withdraw from activities or others
- Changes in appetite
According to Laura, those who experience SAD don’t necessarily realize that their low mood is linked to reduced exposure to light, and instead believe that it’s a “reasonable and measured approach to all the pain in the world or all the pain in [their] life.” SAD tends to push us to engage in actions that will make it worse. For example, those experiencing SAD may crave staying in bed, avoiding going outside and being in darkness, all of which feed into the symptoms.
The link between sunlight, vitamin D, and mood
There is a link between vitamin D levels and SAD. “Some studies have shown that vitamin D supplements can be helpful in terms of attenuating and mitigating those symptoms in the winter months,” Laura says.
With sunlight exposure, vitamin D levels and mood impacting one another, it may help to keep tabs on your vitamin D levels, especially during the winter months.
Let kindness light the way forward
Beyond sunlight exposure and vitamin D levels, our own actions can have an impact on our mood as well. In fact, studies suggest that receiving kindness and recognizing it can help boost positive emotions, reducing feelings of sadness, nervousness and loneliness.
Laura believes that there is a benefit to the recipient and the giver when engaging in an act of kindness. When you do something kind, you feel good, and in return have a greater chance of being willing to engage in more acts of kindness. In these moments, gratitude or the feeling that our actions are appreciated can help give us further momentum to continue to spread kindness.
Laura says, “…there is a huge benefit to having a kindness practice, to engaging in acts of kindness yourself. The data shows that that’s good not just for our mental health, but for our physical health as well.” It can help reduce inflammation, cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart attack risk.
“If you have a friend who is suffering, part of the symptom is that they won’t reach out, that they will isolate. So, reach out to them. Understand that what’s causing them to pull back is not personal; it’s an illness, just like anything else,” Laura explains.
Laura mentions that saying things like “Let’s go for a walk together,” or “Let me drop by,” can help to make a difference in their mood and overall wellbeing.
The power of community
Laura explains that community plays a significant role in getting us through difficult times. She says, “We know that part of the solution to collective trauma is to find meaning, and the other part is to find a community, to rebuild as a community.” As social animals, humans have a desire to be connected with others. But nowadays we live increasingly isolated lives. Turning to connection and being able to identify ourselves as part of a community can help support our mental health.
Next steps to cope with winter-related mood changes
Even if you don’t develop SAD, most Canadians feel the weather impacting their mood to some extent. Laura says that there are some things we can proactively do to help us through these months. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
- Start taking vitamin D – Don’t wait until your levels are horribly depleted, and get a blood test early on to check your levels. Take our D3 quiz to find which formula is right for you.
- Continue to stay active – If you’re someone who enjoys being active during summer and fall, make sure to continue those habits.
- Practice meditation – Meditation can help you feel more grounded during times of low mood, and incorporating that into your routine can make a difference.
- Get quality sleep – Regular, uninterrupted sleep can do wonders for your body and mind.
- Stay kind! – Spreading kindness whenever you can will help uplift your mood and those around you.
Winter months can bring with them mood fluctuations, less sunlight and an urge to isolate. But understanding why you might be feeling this way, checking up on your vitamin D levels and engaging in acts of kindness can help get you through.
From January 19th to March 2nd, we’re inviting you to tell us about a moment when someone added a bit of sunshine to your day. Share your story with us for the chance to win a year’s supply of vitamin D3 or a mood supporting bundle featuring some of our favourite formulas like BioActive B, L-theanine, and more!
Ready to spread the kindness?
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