IT’S JUST SAD

It’s that time of the year again.  The holiday rush is over, the company has all gone home, the tree is down and the decorations have been put away.  I think I’ve even found 87% of the nerf bullets that seem to be everywhere after the grandchildren have been visiting.  Thanks to a very generous uncle they have enough ammunition to keep the nerf war raging until they all graduate college.

But, as everyone seems to make the switch back into regular life at the beginning of January I have trouble shifting gears.  I’ve always had trouble with back shifting – just ask our old Ford grain truck.

That’s a whole other story, though.

I call this time of the year the Doldrums.  To sailors ‘the Doldrums’ is when there are no winds to power a sailboat leaving it to drift listlessly, going nowhere.  To me it’s the low sunlight days of January and February where I drift listlessly from room to room wondering what to make for supper.  Same thing, really.

Science calls it something else; Seasonal Affective Disorder. 

SAD for short, which is very fitting because that’s how it feels – just sad. 

Lacking joy.  Or energy.  Or inspiration. 

Day, after day, after day. 

And still having to come up with a supper menu,

 every. single. night. 

So tedious.

The doctors at the Mayo Clinic agree that it’s most likely caused by the lack of sunlight.  This lack of light messes with our Circadian rhythm disrupting our sleep patterns and drops our Serotonin and Melatonin levels which triggers moodiness and depression …  and stagnation in the food preparation department.  (Okay, I added that part myself, but it fits the model they present.) 

They also say that people who live close to the equator don’t get SAD – I’m thinking that’s self explanatory.

Although they warn that SAD can develop into serious depression, most sufferers can wait it out until we can plant seeds and watch things grow.  This coming-back-to-life phenomenon has pulled me back from the brink year after year.  My husband built me a greenhouse to give tribute to the Sun god in gratitude.

After all these winters I have learned a list of things I can do to try to shake off the funk.  Get outside and soak up what sun there is.  Take on a project and finish it – the sense of accomplishment is like a magic elixir.  Spend time with friends in laughter and conversation.  Focus on a long-term goal and spend time making plans to bring it to fruition.  (Anyone want to head out to a tropical destination?  You know, to test out that theory about being close to the equator?)

Or you could ask your phone what to make for supper … and then tell Siri to make it herself.

Today is a sunnier day than we’ve been having lately so I took this self advice and the dog and I went for a short walk.  He was insanely happy to see me outside, so that’s a start.  I also completed a project – if you can call changing the kitty litter something so grand.  Fore sure I feel better now that it’s done!  I imagine the cat does too.

I came back inside filled with new purpose and put a roast beef in the oven for supper. 

One more day down, approximately 60 more to go.