Nordic people know how to beat the winter blues. Here’s how to find light in the darkest months

By STEFANIE DAZIO The Nordic countries are no strangers to the long dark winter Despite little to no daylight plus months of frigid temperatures people who live in northern Europe and above the Arctic Circle have learned how to cope mentally and physically with the annual onset of the winter blues which can begin as early as October and last into April for several The winter solstice will occur Dec marking the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere While sunlight increases daily after that winter won t be over for a while yet People enjoy the sunny weather with the Helsinki Cathedral of the background in Helsinki Finland Friday Nov AP Photo Sergei Grits People enjoy in a masses pool in Helsinki Finland Friday Nov AP Photo Sergei Grits People walking along the square are reflected in a puddle in Helsinki Finland Friday Nov AP Photo Sergei Grits People pass a shop window in Helsinki Finland Friday Nov AP Photo Sergei Grits Show Caption of People enjoy the sunny weather with the Helsinki Cathedral of the background in Helsinki Finland Friday Nov AP Photo Sergei Grits Expand The Associated Press spoke to experts in Norway Sweden and Finland about the winter blues Here s how they suggest looking for light literally and figuratively during the darkest months of the year Maintaining sleep and social habits are key Dr Timo Partonen a research professor at the Finnish Institute for Strength and Welfare stated the dark winter affects our circadian rhythm With limited daylight our internal body clocks cannot reset or synchronize properly and it throws off our sleep We may sleep longer in the winter he mentioned but we don t wake up refreshed and can remain tired the rest of the day Partonen recommended trying a dawn simulator sometimes known as a sunrise alarm clock to gradually light up your bedroom and ease you awake In addition to being more tired we re more likely to withdraw from others socially in the wintertime We re more irritable Partonen commented and more prone to fights with friends It s major to maintain our relationships he announced because effects rarely improve in isolation And since keeping up with exercise is also key to combating the winter blues consider inviting a friend along for a workout It could also help keep off the wintertime weight gain typically to kilograms to pounds a year Partonen reported that s fed by cravings for carbohydrates especially in the evenings Light therapy encouraged for a range of indicators Millions of people worldwide are estimated to suffer from seasonal depression Also known as seasonal affective disorder or SAD patients typically have episodes of depression that begin in the fall and ease in the spring or summer A milder form subsyndromal SAD is recognized by health experts and there s also a summer variety of seasonal depression though less is known about it Scientists are learning how specialized cells in our eyes turn the blue wavelength part of the light spectrum into neural signals affecting mood and alertness Sunlight is loaded with the blue light so when the cells absorb it our brains alertness centers are activated and we feel more awake and possibly even happier Related Articles A guide to good manners at the retail counter this holiday season Faith leaders embrace sound baths to connect with spiritual seekers Winter virus season so far is not too bad but doctors worry about suffering to come If you want that tattoo erased it s going to hurt and it s going to cost you The Senate voted down dueling medical proposals Here s what s at stake for Americans Researcher Kathryn Roecklein at the University of Pittsburgh tested people with and without SAD to see how their eyes reacted to blue light As a group people with SAD were less sensitive to blue light than others especially during winter months That suggests a cause for wintertime depression In severe cases people need clinical assistance and antidepressant medications Christian Benedict a pharmacology professor at Uppsala University in Sweden suggests light therapy for people with SAD as well as those who have a milder incident of the winter blues It s not like it s a fate an annual or a seasonal fate and you cannot do anything about it Benedict revealed There are possibilities to affect it A routine of morning light therapy using devices that emit light about times brighter than regular indoor light can be beneficial for both people with and without SAD The light therapy helps to kickstart your circadian rhythm and increases serotonin in your brain Benedict declared Research supports using a light that s about lux a measure of brightness for minutes every morning Special lights run from to though specific products marketed for SAD are not bright enough to be useful Your insurance company might cover at least part of the cost if you ve been diagnosed with SAD Partonen recommended using both a dawn simulator and a light therapy device each day before noon Yale has tested products and offers a list of recommendations and the nonprofit Center for Environmental Therapeutics has a consumer guide to selecting a light Prioritizing a positive outlook as a survival strategy And don t forget to well look on the bright side It s crucial to embrace winter instead of dreading it according to Ida Solhaug an associate professor in psychology at the University of Troms also known as the Arctic University of Norway the world s northernmost university Prioritize a positive outlook as a survival strategy and learn to appreciate the change in seasons It s a typical Norwegian way of thinking she noted that can make all the difference when there s very little daylight for months It s part of the civilization she reported And don t forget to take advantage of both outdoor and indoor hobbies she stated Inside channel hygge the Danish obsession with getting cozy and snuggle up on the couch with blankets and a movie But don t hibernate all winter After the film finishes head outside with a thermos for fika the traditional Swedish coffee break Even during cloudy days a quick walk in the fresh air will help she explained And if you re brave enough do a cold plunge like multiple people in the Nordics Solhaug tries to jump into the frigid waters off the coast of Troms an island kilometers miles north of the Arctic Circle at least once a week adding that it makes her feel revitalized during the long winter Challenge yourself to look for light in the darkness she noted After all as countless Nordic people say there s no such thing as bad weather only bad clothing Finland s President Alexander Stubb too had selected tips for how to tackle Nordic winters When appealed in an interview with The Associated Press last month how to survive the cold season he had several very specific advice Take an ice bath and then followed up by a sauna and do one more ice bath one more sauna then a shower and go out there You ll manage Stubb disclosed Dazio stated from Berlin