Winter wellbeing
Winter can be a difficult season for some. Strategies may be needed to cope with the shorter days and the managing of our moods.
Feeling SAD?
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression. It is directly related to seasonal changes, especially from autumn to winter. Throughout the colder months you may have low moods and lethargy, be inactive and want to sleep more. Humans can like hibernating too. Less common is SAD causing depression in the spring or summer, but it has been known.
SAD is still not fully understood but a lack of sunlight in winter, and therefore a deficiency in vitamin D, is thought to be a factor. Light stimulates the hypothalamus, an area of the brain that controls sleep, mood and appetite. Our bodies then produce less melatonin and serotonin. Shift workers may be particularly susceptible.
Treatment for SAD includes light, or photo, therapy. A powerful bright light is emitted from a light box. These may be wall-mounted, free-standing or in the form of a large desk lamp. It can be beneficial as a daily treatment, sitting in front of or beneath the box for between 15 and 60 minutes. Regular saunas have also helped some SAD sufferers. Before buying or using a light box, it’s recommended that a doctor is consulted first. Other treatments for SAD are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) with a qualified therapist or medication if the symptoms are affecting your life adversely.
Clinical Psychologist, Dr Kumari Valentine PhD DClinPsych, recommends prioritising the following self-care activities:
“Engage in activities that bring you joy, relaxation, and a sense of fulfillment. This could include hobbies, spending time in nature, reading, listening to music, practicing mindfulness or meditation, or engaging in creative outlets. Make time for these activities regularly and consider them as non-negotiable parts of your routine,” Valentine says.
“Take care of your physical health as depression can also impact your physical wellbeing. Pay attention to this by eating a balanced diet, staying hydrated, getting regular exercise, and ensuring sufficient sleep. Regular physical activity, in particular, has been shown to have positive effects on mood and can help alleviate the symptoms of depression.
Establish a healthy routine and create a structured and consistent daily routine that includes self-care activities, work or study, and exercise. The lower the mood, the more we need structure. When I worked in acute mental health, with clients in crisis, I would say that the foundational steps for addressing mood are: eating regularly, sleeping better, breathing deeply and putting them into a timetable.”
In 2022, 39.7% of kiwi men and 36% of women had private health insurance.
A health insurance policy covers a variety of medical costs dependent upon the plan. That may be a percentage of hospital stays, doctor’s visits, diagnostic tests and dental or vision treatment. For people who are well and in good health, that may be the time to explore the different providers and their services. Health insurance can help to offset the costs when an unexpected event occurs. Some policies also offer preventive and wellbeing programmes.
The New Zealand public health system gives you immediate treatment for acute, life-threatening conditions or injuries. However, waiting times for appointments with specialists and some elective surgeries can take weeks, months, or years. You could have a personal savings account specifically for health, but common surgeries can cost more than $20,000.
The private health system in this country has many comfortable hospitals, clinics, and qualified medical consultants across the country. Your insurance policy should pay for some or, in certain cases, all of your treatment. If you have chosen to have an excess, this will be deducted.
Pre-existing conditions may affect your health insurance cover. The insurer will want all the facts disclosed. They may exclude the condition from your cover, charge an extra cost for it or only cover it after a certain period of time. This will differ and it pays to discuss the details with the insurance company.
Payment varies from reimbursement after you have paid upfront and then submitted receipts, to your health care provider liaising with the insurer directly.
Many workplaces in New Zealand offer private health insurance to their staff, either with full cover or a subsidised scheme. There are websites which compare all the health insurance providers. It certainly pays to do your homework and explore the fine print of differing policies and any discounts or group rates offered.
Private health insurance that complements the public service can be a significant cost, but could enable you to avoid public waiting lists and return to work faster.
Health, after all, is wealth.
-Gill Towle
