The Confining Routine

    Wake up. Go to class. Take a nap. Go to work. Do my homework. Shower. Sleep. Every day begins to feel the same. Several months in the semester later, and just thinking about the general routine of things sets my anxiety off. I feel trapped. Once I started talking about this feeling with a few of my friends, I realized it was something we had in common. Routine and structure can be very healthy for us. It helps us accomplish the things we need to, helps keep our lives organized and not chaotic, and establishes us as responsible people. But it can also make us feel stuck. Even though my Western Heritage class has moved on from Plato to Martin Luther, it still feels like I’m not moving forward. It’s like I can see every week of my life for the next four years and predict what will happen.
    As if I didn’t have enough to be worried about, winter is just around the corner. In fact, at least for this week, it’s already here. For those of you who are not Michigan natives like myself, you may not realize just how long winter lasts in these parts. At first, the snow feels magical and euphoric. It heralds the beginning of Christmas and all the serotonin that can come with the holiday season. But, by mid-February, the winter chill has set in and I long for the sun & rain of the spring & summer months. At that point, even temperatures in the 50s would be very welcome. Just a peek of sunshine feels like heaven on earth. This coming of the colder and snowier months can often come with some mental health side effects.
    Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a form of depression that affects at least 10 million diagnosed Americans. This disorder usually develops during the fall & winter months due to small changes in your circadian rhythm and lower levels of melatonin & serotonin in your body due to decreased sunlight (MayoClinic). Also, if you already have a mental health illness, the lack of serotonin can magnify those illnesses. If you notice that during the winter months, you feel tired all the time, lose interest in activities you’ve enjoyed in the past, have difficulty concentrating on school work, and/or experience changes in your appetite, these could be signs of SAD.
    Fortunately, there are many easy ways to combat SAD. First off, head to the store and buy some vitamin D supplements. Our primary source of this vitamin is from the sun, so your body is in serious need of help during the cloudier months. You can also buy a light that imitates the feel of sunlight and spend several hours each day using the light. Exercising regularly and developing a consistent sleep pattern also help keep your body healthy, which will in turn help your brain. Make sure to have regular social interaction, even when you’re really not feeling like it. Spending time with people you love and trust can help lift your spirits. Of course, if those aren’t helping, it may be time to visit the Counseling Center on campus or talk to your doctor about professional help.
    I’ve started to notice that perhaps this recent existential crisis of feeling trapped in my daily routine could be a sign that colder, cloudier, months are coming and my body (and brain) are starting to experience the side effects of it. Keeping your body healthy by eating good food and sleeping enough hours as well as participating in activities that increase your serotonin levels can help get you through the next couple of months. Start developing those healthy habits now so that when the mid-winter gloom of January & February hit, you are ready. Even though you may feel tempted to hibernate indoors and not leave your room, make sure to set time aside for regular social interaction. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

Reference

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017, October 25). Seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Retrieved from
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651