The Winter Blues

We’re in the midst of winter down under, and despite popular belief, it does get cold–bitterly cold–in Australia. I can’t remember a winter this cold in Melbourne. Not that it’s bad. Most days have been clear and the sun has managed to break through the clouds, providing some respite from the frosty winds. The flip side of this mild weather is that with the rains having staying away, there is serious drought in many areas of the country.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been struggling to shake a mild, but annoying head cold. Apparently there is a flu-like virus, for which the recovery period is 4-5 weeks. I guess I’ve had it. My only consolation is that I’m on the right end of the bell curve–thankfully!

I often wonder about the effects of the weather on our moods and states of mind. Having lived in Australia most of my life, I have been blessed with mostly warm, sunny weather. In contrast, I was born in the UK where the weather is overcast and bleak for a much longer period of the year. This stark contrast between the weather, also explains the different culture and way of life we experience in the Southern Hemisphere to that of the North.

I’ve often heard people say that “there is no such thing as bad weather”, and taking this approach seems to me to be a positive mindset. However illogical though, the weather can have an effect on how we feel. I didn’t know this until recently, but this condition has actually been defined as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or more commonly, Winter Depression.

From an experiential perspective, I find that the shorter days and lack of sun definitely have an impact on my energy levels and although this period of hibernation allows the body to rest, I long for the warmer days and the rejuvenation of spring.

[ 0 comments ] [ personal ]