As Andy Williams said, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” until it’s over. Christmas has a way of bringing up your mood throughout the day during the month of December. You look forward to giving and receiving presents, baking cookies, decorating gingerbread houses, and so much more. The sadness that hits after Christmas Break is absolutely brutal. School starts up again, it’s freezing outside, you’re in the busiest season of your winter sport if your particulate in one and you just miss Christmas.

I personally play basketball for my high school, and winter depression hits me hard after Christmas. The basketball season is especially long, 19 games, and we only have five games before Christmas break. So, when we get back, we still have fourteen long games left to play. Not to mention that the sun sets at five pm.

I remember last year sleeping one morning because I was so exhausted and waking up to the sun in the morning was amazing. It was very refreshing, and I found myself way more awake during the school day.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a real thing. Some causes of this disease are that reduced sunlight can disrupt the body’s internal clock which throws off sleep schedules. Also lack of sunlight can affect levels of serotonin, which is the body’s mood regulator which can cause sadness. Some symptoms of SAD are fatigue, lack of energy, increased appetite which can lead to weight gain, and withdrawal from social situations.

If you think you have SAD, some things you can do for help are seeking professional help, start light therapy in early fall to make up for

the lack of light in the winter. Some other options are staying active, prioritizing self-care, and planning to make sure you check everything off your to-do list for that day to reduce stress. Though winter depression is real, we always find a way to get through it; we can do it again this year!