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This is the time of year that many a Grinch want to dominate the holiday scene. During this season, healthcare providers see more mental health issues such as depression and substance abuse. While the holidays may bring festive moods, they can also bring more family stress and financial pressure. These things, along with shorter winter days, can give us the blues.
When there is darkness outside, it makes us want to hibernate. Arianna Galligher, LISW, director of the Stress, Trauma and Resilience (STAR) Program at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center says, “So, filling up your room or home with lights, even if it’s artificial, can give us a bit of that mood boost and stave off some of that fatigue.”
When the sun begins to set early, many people want to hibernate and just not be around others. Some of the physical activity one would have normally done outside is curtailed by the lack of light and the cold weather. In a study conducted on patients already suffering with major depression, Galligher and fellow researchers found that patients indeed experience seasonal variation in their depression cycles. The researchers found that a lack of sunlight and colder nights significantly exacerbated the study participants’ moods, sleep, cognitive function and energy levels.
So, how do lights enter into this picture? Researchers polled people in Finland where there are long winters and found that exposure to lots of indoor lights may be a game changer to these people.
Research has shown that light can boost one’s wellbeing by fostering positive emotions and reducing stress. This research has shown that exposure to bright, colorful lights can elevate one’s mood by increasing the production of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the brain linked to happiness.
Other research studies have shown that even viewing holiday lights that you like can trigger nostalgic feelings. These feelings are associated with greater resilience and being connected to people. Looking at and enjoying lights can lower stress hormones such as cortisol. The light can result in sensory delight, emotional warmth and relaxation. Lights are an effective way to nurture wellbeing.
Holiday lights can also promote social interactions. Homes adorned with such lights are viewed as more friendly, fostering a sense of community and belonging.
So, sprucing up your home with holiday cheer and lights can enhance all five of your senses, (smell, taste, sight, sound, and touch) and improve your happiness level.
“Maybe it’s the smell of the cinnamon, the taste of the hot cocoa, the sight of the tree adorned with lights and ornaments, the cool sounds of Ella Fitzgerald, or the feeling of a cozy blanket.”
Humans are social creatures. The world can be frightful, scary and unpredictable. Giving yourself the chance to celebrate and decorate with others even when you may want to run and hide may be exactly what you may need.
Especially in this time of uncertainty, being able to control the environment you live in with a little beauty by decorating and enjoying holiday lights will give you a sense of control. You can make yourself happy and comfortable by the way you arrange your personal world.
Enjoy the lights of the season and remember if they bring you joy in your world, they do not have to be turned off.
Dr. Veita Bland is a board-certified Greensboro physician and hypertension specialist. Dr. Bland’s radio show, “It’s a Matter of Your Health,” can be heard live on Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. on N.C. A&T State University’s WNAA, 90.1 FM. Listeners may call in and ask questions. The show is replayed on Sirius 142 at 5 p.m. on Wed. Email Dr. Bland at ideas@blandclinicpa.com.
