winter - Hope Clinic Care

Out of the four seasons, winter is either your favorite, or the one you despise the most. While we may dislike winter because of how cold it can get, it’s much more serious for some people. Aside from physical conditions, such as arthritis, cold weather and winter season can affect one’s mental health, too. There is a form of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which occurs at the same time each year, usually throughout the autumn and winter months.

People with Seasonal Affective Disorder may become a completely different person than they normally are during spring and summer. SAD can affect your mood, sleep, appetite, and energy levels—taking a toll on all aspects of your life from your relationships and social life to work, school, and your sense of self-worth.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is more than just what people may see as “winter blues,” and it is linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain, triggered by shorter daylight hours and less sunlight during winter. People who live far from the equator are more likely to experience SAD. In the United States alone, it affects 5% of adults and young adults (age 18-30).

The symptoms are similar to depression, such as:

Constantly feeling tired.
Significant changes in appetite and sleeping patterns (either too much or not at all).
Loss of interest in the activities once enjoyed.
Feelings of guilt and worthlessness.
Being agitated and anxious.
Inexplicable body pain and aches.
Difficulty concentrating.
Social withdrawal.
Using drugs and alcohol as an escape.
When it gets extreme, it can lead to suicidal thoughts as well.

What causes Seasonal Affective Disorder? There are several contributing factors, one of them being our body’s internal clock or circadian rhythm. It responds to changes between light and dark to regulate our sleep, mood, and appetite. As seasons change, our circadian rhythm shifts, too. This can cause us to be out of step with our daily schedule. During winter, it may feel like the days grow short and the nights last longer, leaving us feeling uncomfortable and disoriented at times.

Another reason why people develop Seasonal Affective Disorder is because your brain may produce less serotonin and more melatonin during winter due to reduced sunlight. Serotonin is a hormone that regulates your mood, while melatonin is produced by the brain to help you sleep. So, when it gets dark and chilly, your brain might produce too much melatonin and not enough serotonin, causing you to feel drowsy and unenergetic.

Fortunately, Seasonal Affective Disorder is not a hopeless condition. Although it might not be easy, it is still manageable and treatable. Take a look at these 5 things you can do to deal with SAD.

Be honest with yourself.

Wait, what does this have to do with having SAD? Well, it’s important that you acknowledge your struggle first. There’s no need to feel ashamed about it. If the symptoms are making it hard for you to carry on your day-to-day activities, acknowledge it and allow yourself to seek support.

Expose yourself to as much light as possible.

Whether it’s natural sunlight or light therapy, make sure that you get as much light as you can. Head outside every once in a while during the day. If you’re working from home, perhaps you can sit near the window and make your work environment bright.

You may also consider doing light therapy, which is a form of therapy where you expose yourself to a light therapy box that emits a very bright light (and filters out harmful ultraviolet rays). Sit in front of the light box for about 20 to 30 minutes a day (preferably within one hour after you wake up). Doing this regularly may result in a chemical change in your brain that boosts your mood and alleviates symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Using a dawn simulator.

Dawn simulators are basically alarm clocks, but instead of waking you up by blasting loud alarms, these devices produce light that gradually increases in intensity, mimicking the way the sun gently rises each morning. Different models of dawn simulators exist, but the best ones use full-spectrum light, which is closest to natural sunlight.

Eat well and consume enough vitamin D.

Winter is closely linked to the holiday season, and it is so tempting to consume so many sweet treats during the holidays. But too much sugar can cause a brain fog and decreased energy, leaving you feeling sluggish. So, it’s important to pay attention to your eating habits. You need enough nutrition and vitamins, especially vitamin D, to reduce depressive symptoms.

Be active and social as much as possible.

Yes, we get it… it’s so much cozier to stay inside, snuggling up in bed during winter. However, try to do light exercises at home and outdoor activities when you can, while also socializing and staying connected with your loved ones. These will help your brain produce chemicals like serotonin and endorphins, which will improve your mood and decrease anxiety. If necessary, you may also seek professional help and talk to a mental health expert in order to ease SAD symptoms.

It’s almost that time of year again. The weather is changing, the temperatures are dropping, and the holidays are coming! Some people may look forward to the winter season, but some… not so much. Especially if you’re struggling with chronic pain. You might be familiar with people complaining of how the cold weather makes their pain worse. But, how does it happen? What’s the correlation between pain and cold weather? Well, there’s a valid explanation for that! These are the 3 ways how cold weather affects pain.

Our bodies are naturally trained to tell the brain that we are in danger or pain once it gets cold. It’s a form of protection, trying to keep us out of the weather conditions that could potentially harm us. So, when the colder weather hits, our bodies begin to store heat by pumping more blood to the vital organs in the center of the body, such as the heart and lungs, to ensure survival. Therefore, it causes the blood vessels in other areas to constrict and experience less blood flow. It leads to stiffness, discomfort, and pain—especially in the arms, legs, shoulders, and knees.

The cold changes the barometric pressure in the air as well. Barometric pressure (also called air pressure or atmospheric pressure) is the force or weight of the air surrounding us. Generally, a rise in barometric pressure is deemed an improvement in the weather, while a fall in barometric pressure usually means that the weather is deteriorating. When barometric pressure decreases, it means that there is less pressure against the body, and thus, allowing the soft tissues and joints to expand and swell in an attempt to get more oxygen. Even just a slight drop in barometric pressure can lead to increased nerve fiber sensitivity, causing joint pain and discomfort—which explains why people with arthritis can “predict” the rain or cold weather.

Lastly, cold weather means reduction of physical activities. People don’t feel like going outside as much as they usually do when it’s warmer. Less time spent outside, less exercising, less movement… all of this can make us feel worse. Why so? Because when we’re actively moving, the brain releases endorphins, hormones that escalate feelings of pleasure and reduce pain. Physical activities also improve blood flow to different areas of the body. So, the lack of it may result in declining strength and flexibility.

Does winter sound awful to you? Well, you shouldn’t dread it! You can still enjoy the season, because we’ve got some practical tips for you on how to ease this cold-induced pain and discomfort.

First, keep yourself warm, obviously. Take a warm shower, dress in layers, snuggle under your thick blanket, relax on your couch in front of your fireplace with a glass of hot chocolate… sounds pretty dreamy, doesn’t it?

Second, perhaps you could try a paraffin bath. It’s a small machine that melts paraffin wax. It works by dipping your hands and feet in, and then you let the wax harden on your skin. Afterwards, your body absorbs the heat, which may soothe achy joints.

And finally, one of the most important things to do is to move around and stay active. Do exercises that are gentle on your joints, such as swimming or yoga. Going for a jog is also a good idea, just make sure to stretch beforehand.

If you are looking for further treatment methods to ease your pain due to cold weather, Hope Clinic Care is your answer! Located in Scottsdale, AZ, you can get non-invasive and non-opioid treatment for your joint pain and any discomfort you experience here. With an over 93% success rate, Hope Clinic Care offers excellent treatment procedures that are 100% drug-free! Using verified hands-on techniques and dual modality devices, Hope Clinic Care provides solutions to relieve pain by facilitating your body to maximize its healing and repairing ability. No drugs needed, yet just as effective—if not more.

Don’t let this winter season make you feel helpless or defeated! Make an appointment now at www.hopecliniccare.com, or call (1) 480 659 5470.

The symptoms are similar to depression, such as:

Constantly feeling tired.

Significant changes in appetite and sleeping patterns (either too much or not at all).

Loss of interest in the activities once enjoyed.

Feelings of guilt and worthlessness.

Being agitated and anxious.

Inexplicable body pain and aches.

Difficulty concentrating.

Social withdrawal.

Using drugs and alcohol as an escape.

When it gets extreme, it can lead to suicidal thoughts as well.

Fortunately, Seasonal Affective Disorder is not a hopeless condition. Although it might not be easy, it is still manageable and treatable. Take a look at these 5 things you can do to deal with SAD.

Be honest with yourself.

Wait, what does this have to do with having SAD? Well, it’s important that you acknowledge your struggle first. There’s no need to feel ashamed about it. If the symptoms are making it hard for you to carry on your day-to-day activities, acknowledge it and allow yourself to seek support.

Expose yourself to as much light as possible.

Whether it’s natural sunlight or light therapy, make sure that you get as much light as you can. Head outside every once in a while during the day. If you’re working from home, perhaps you can sit near the window and make your work environment bright.

Using a dawn simulator.

Eat well and consume enough vitamin D.

Be active and social as much as possible.

Read more at:

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Does winter sound awful to you? Well, you shouldn’t dread it! You can still enjoy the season, because we’ve got some practical tips for you on how to ease this cold-induced pain and discomfort.

First, keep yourself warm, obviously. Take a warm shower, dress in layers, snuggle under your thick blanket, relax on your couch in front of your fireplace with a glass of hot chocolate… sounds pretty dreamy, doesn’t it?

Second, perhaps you could try a paraffin bath. It’s a small machine that melts paraffin wax. It works by dipping your hands and feet in, and then you let the wax harden on your skin. Afterwards, your body absorbs the heat, which may soothe achy joints.

And finally, one of the most important things to do is to move around and stay active. Do exercises that are gentle on your joints, such as swimming or yoga. Going for a jog is also a good idea, just make sure to stretch beforehand.

Don’t let this winter season make you feel helpless or defeated! Make an appointment now at www.hopecliniccare.com, or call (1) 480 659 5470.

Read more at: