January is here. For some of us, that means the excitement and rush of the holidays have ended and the new year starts with a thud. Kinda. January tends to be gray: we have wet weather and limited daylight hours to get our vitamin D. This can lead up to what people dismiss as “winter blues”.

According to Psychology Today, 10 million Americans (and 10 – 20% more have a milder case) suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder. It’s a type of depression that happens around the same time each year. SAD is characterized by those who experience depression, anxiety, hopelessness, and lack of energy among other things during certain parts of the year.  It usually starts in the fall and continues through winter. Personally, I think the time change throws me off and pushes me into my winter blues. Lack of sunlight definitely bothers me. So what can we do to help lessen the symptoms?

Get a massage! Massage has been shown to help with anxiety. It’s a good way to gain a healthy dose of human interaction with your therapist. Interaction meaning: you have trust with your massage therapist and know that they are there to offer massage in a safe and trustworthy zone.

Speaking of a therapist: Don’t hesitate to reach out to a qualified licensed counselor or therapist in the area if you feel like you need help with dealing with the so-called winter blues. There’s no shame in asking for help in order to feel better.