Autumn is the time when trees lose their leaves and everything seems to turn to beautiful shades of orange, gold and vibrant red, but for those of us living up in the north, autumn is the time when days get short. Dusk these days is already before 4 p.m., and it’s dark by 5 p.m., which makes work days seem longer and the already rare light of day seem even more fleeting.
As our circadian clocks attempt to adapt to the time changes and the Vitamin D of the summer sun begins to leave our system, many begin suffering from what psychologists fittingly call SAD (seasonal affective disorder). A Guardian article reports that “those who suffer from SAD report feeling depressed and lethargic as the days grow darker; they have disrupted sleep patterns (and) crave sweets.”
Sound familiar? Extra Halloween candy sitting around apparently isn’t the only reason you have been eating 25 Kit-Kat’s every day.
The days will continue to get shorter for the next six weeks, taking us through the winter, before spitting us out the other side pale, cold and maybe a bit sadder, and fatter, than usual. But it doesn’t have to be that way, as exercise releases endorphins, those great little hormones that are responsible for making you feel happy (like eating 25 Kit-Kats, but better). Unlike temporary sugar highs, endorphins from exercise last longer and provide a sustained calorie burn, which gives you more reason to smile. Exercise also warms you up, a necessity when the high temperature of the day is 40 degrees.
In a 2012 article from The American College of Sports Medicine titled, “Ward off the Winter Blues with Exercise,” experts say “shortened days and severe chill inspire little motivation to leave the house to do something active.” It’s an unfortunate irony that we find it most difficult to exercise during the winter when, arguably, that’s when we need it most.
So before winter makes you pull the warm covers completely over your head, find an exercise class or regimen to keep you cheery for the holidays and beyond. Going for an early morning run in the pouring, freezing rain is not necessary, as indoor fitness classes from cycling to hot yoga are guaranteed to get you sweating quickly.
Come spring, your waistline and mental health will thank you. Who knows, you may even get a jump on the rush to get in shape for summer.
