INDIANAPOLIS — If you’re feeling a little down this week, you’re not alone.
Daylight Saving Time ended on Sunday, meaning shorter days and less sunlight.
It’s not uncommon to feel those “winter blues” now that the sun is setting around 5:30 p.m.
“I go out at 7 a.m., it’s dark. I go inside, it’s dark," Daniela Del Rio said. “It’s affecting [it] so bad. I work a lot of hours and at the end of the day I get off at 5.”
Fall and winter months are hard for Del Rio.
The 20-year-old says the shorter days and lack of sunlight make her tired and unmotivated.
“The last thing I wanna do is go home and put my pajamas on and go to sleep, it’s weird," she said.
That’s not the case for mom Anniece Hollis, who says Daylight Saving Time ending helps her productivity.
“If I get up earlier. For me the time change, when it goes back, it helps me get up a little earlier and then I get things done,“ Hollis said.
She owns Studio 11:11.
Before heading to her shop, she’s able to do laundry, get her kids ready for school, and grab a cup of coffee.
“Being a business owner, if it gets dark earlier it means I get into my night earlier and I can just rest and spend time with my kids,” Hollis said.
Whether you like the time change or not, experts say it can affect your mood.
“Moods aren’t something you choose, they just happen,” Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Laura Hawkins said.
About 5 percent of adults in the U.S. experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
The National Institute of Mental Health describes SAD as a type of depression lasting about four to five months out of the year, starting when the seasons change in the fall.
“If you’re in a room with 20 people, well chances are one of them may have been affected by some seasonal depression," Hawkins said.
Some early signs to look out for are tiredness, irritability, trouble sleeping, negative thoughts and feelings, guilt, and body aches and pains.
“It’s easy to want to cocoon in the winter. Pushing yourself out to have connections, meaningful connections, that can really help," she said.
Some other things that may help are taking vitamin D and B12 supplements, using a light box, eating a clean diet, exercise and optimizing time in the sun.
If you start experiencing suicidal thoughts — you can call or text 9-8-8 for help.
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