Don't let winter 'SAD' -ness get the better of you

You can bet a lot of school kids are happy today, with the majority of area schools closed because of the winter storm.

But with Christmas long gone, Valentine's Day only a minor holiday and springtime a distant goal, it's easy to fall victim to cabin fever.

Dr. Joann Schaefer, Nebraska's Chief Medical Officer and director of public health at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, notes that this is the time of year when seasonal affective disorder -- SAD -- can kick in, sapping our energy and making us feel blue.

"With SAD, you may feel down or tired, just not yourself," she said. "SAD is very common and very 'fixable' with a few tricks. Therapy with full-spectrum light exposure using a light box has been very helpful," Dr. Schaefer said. "This involves exposing yourself to this bright light for several minutes a day, mimicking sunlight (without the harmful UV rays) and can be as easy as putting a light source at home or in the office."

Beyond the simple blues, Schaefer points out that we should be on alert for signs of clinical depression that include sleeping or eating too much or too little, or not enjoying activities that you previously enjoyed.

The answer to either problem is to depend on your support networks -- friends and family matter, she said. "Lean on them when you're feeling down and, most importantly, try to get out and stay active during the winter, even if that means connecting with your friends over your favorite board or video game in front of a roaring fire. "The point is to spend some time together and support each other," Schaefer concluded.