How to stay happy and healthy during winter

 The long, winter nights can bring on a lull in all of us, whether we suffer from a mental illness (especially Seasonal Affective Disorder – or SAD) or not.  I become quite apprehensive of the winter months when autumn sets in, more so because of the short days rather than the miserable weather and cold that comes with it. 

The reason why the long nights affect our mood is because when it becomes dark our brain produces a hormone called melatonin, which makes us sleepy.   When sunlight hits our eyes this triggers the production of melatonin to lessen, to make us more energetic.  This is why you may feel sluggish and tired by six or seven in the evening in December.  There are other theories as to why peoples’ moods are affected and why people suffer from SAD, like the over production of melatonin and disruption in our body clocks.

If you feel that the long nights are affecting you, whether it’s your mood, sleep or overall health, then the following tips can help you to elevate the symptoms.

• Wake as the sun rises.  It’s important to get as much sunlight as possible.  If you are a particular late riser then it may be beneficial to wake up earlier, even if it’s by an hour or two.  The sun rises around eight in the morning during December.
• Keep active.  Even if it’s laborious housework, a stroll to town or gentle exercises at home, exercise releases endorphins which are known as a ‘happy hormone’.  This will make you feel generally better about yourself, as well as giving you more energy.
• Purchase a light box.  Light boxes emit a light wave similar to the sun that helps to reduce the production of melatonin.  Depending on the manufacturer and instructions from health professionals a session of thirty minutes a day is enough to help relieve symptoms.  Bear in mind that there are debates whether light therapy does work.
• Eat healthily.  It is easy to munch on mince pies and chocolates, especially around the festive season, but it is important to maintain a healthy diet.  Consume the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals, especially fruit and vegetables.  Alcohol should be avoided, or at least reduced, as it is a natural depressant.
• Go out during midday.  Midday is when the sun is at its highest and strongest.  Having a twenty minute walk outside will expose you to enough sunlight to help reduce the production of melatonin. 
• Take breaks outside.  If you work inside, especially during the small hours of sunlight, then ensure that you take some of your break outside to expose yourself to sunlight.  Same reason as above.

If you start to feel worthless, guilty, tearful, difficulty concentrating, irritable, have sleeping problems, eating problems, and so on then please see your doctor as you could be suffering from depression.  Once recognised it can be treated.

Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners's negative message

I've watched Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners on many occasions, not for entertainment, as it seems to be the purpose, but to analyse the message it gives.  And with a second series now being aired it still does not reduce my frustration.

For those who aren't aware Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners is a documentary that takes those with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) who have compulsions to keep their homes germ free or minimalistic to help declutter those who hoard (who also suffer from OCD).  It is clashing two extremes of OCD.  The only aim I could get from the program is to allow those with OCD in minimalising and cleaning to tone down their obsessions by meeting those who are the complete opposite, and to induce some of their obsessions onto them.  If that really is the aim then it infuriates me.

On the last series I remember reading captions at the end of each episode, the ones that panged my heart were captions saying ‘It has made their OCD worse’.  How is this acceptable to happen?  Those who suffer from OCD experience anxiety when their obsessions are not satisfied by compulsive behaviours, for example somebody who is phobic of germs who cannot access a hand washing basin or anti-bacterial hand gel will experience anxiety and a fear of being contaminated.  Although exposure therapy is a proven technique to work for some people with different anxiety disorders this level of exposure is incredibly over the top and extreme.

I was intrigued to know what the public felt towards this program.  I went onto Twitter and was appalled to read the tweets.  OCD is often seen by the public as somebody who likes to keep themselves and their home clean, not understanding the anxiety that comes with it.  I've read tweets from people saying how they or somebody they know ‘MUST have OCD’.  Not only is it a pet-hate of mine to hear people self-diagnosing themselves with a mental illness but it shows that the level of understanding of OCD is still very poor.  Tweets that demonstrate how far we have to go in anti-stigma campaigning are ones that call the participants on the program ‘mad’ and ‘weirdo’s’.  I find that language unacceptable.  Not to mention the volume of tweets finding the program ‘amusing’, ‘hilarious’ and ‘funny’.  Only a few tweets showed understanding and compassion to those with OCD.

Channel 4 has made a massive mistake airing a second series of Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners.  It promotes a negative image of OCD and does not explain or show what OCD really is.  Channel 4 has taken a group of people, suffering from a serious illness, and put them through unnecessary anxiety for the purpose of entertainment.  This is not acceptable and I am shocked that Channel 4 think that this is acceptable.  Even if the participants agreed to be involved in this program this is still sending an inaccurate message of what OCD is, creating more stigma and discrimination to those who suffer from it.