'Blue Monday' bringing attention to Seasonal Affective Disorder
Now that holiday celebrations are behind us, the shorter days and colder months can take an emotional and mental toll.
“We did have to push ourselves to get out,” said Heather White, who was out for a stroll in Lansdowne Park Monday. “We’re so happy we did that.”
She and Brian Loyer braved the brisk cold to get some vitamin D on the third Monday of January, which is known as “Blue Monday”, dubbed the most depressing day of the year.
“It’s like night and day,” said Loyer.
“It really changes things,” added White.
Mental health experts often debunk the idea of “Blue Monday”, but they say seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is very real this time of the year.
“I wouldn’t reduce it to one day but we do see a rise in anxiety and depression around this time,” said KJ Thompson with the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.
According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, one in five Canadians experience mental illness in any given year and SAD affects an estimated two to three per cent of Canadians.
“Characteristics include impaired sleep, lower levels of concentration and changes in appetite,” said Michael Mak, a psychiatrist with CAMH.
Factors contributing to SAD could include hefty credit card bills from the holidays, hibernating at home, and little to no sunlight.
“It’s not surprising there’s a dip after Christmas and we still got a lot of winter ahead of us,” said White.
But there are ways to cope.
“The first thing we can do is acknowledge all these pieces around us,” said Thomson. “Sometimes a direct check-in with someone and ourselves is what we need.”
Other ways to beat the winter blues include getting proper sleep, maintaining a healthy diet, and getting some fresh air, even when it’s cold.
“That’s one of the main reasons I do it,” said one runner out by the Dow’s Lake. “Just get outside and reconnect.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.