How Not To Go Insane in the Winter
b'As the days get shorter, and colder, and darker, our listener Tamar suggested we do an episode on \\u201chow not to go insane when you can\\u2019t go outside.\\u201d (If anyone has any ideas for her, please reach out.)\\nSeriously, our energy levels are especially depleted during the winter. It\\u2019s science: our bodies get less vitamin D,\\xa0produce more melatonin (which encourages sleep) and less serotonin (which fights depression). No wonder we all want to put on the fuzzy pants, get under the covers, and call it a day.\\nBut we\\u2019re parents. Which means that while our own batteries are totally run down, we also have to deal with cranky kids who\\u2019ve watched way too many YouTube videos today and we should have gotten them outside but it\\u2019s 4:35 pm and it\\u2019s as dark as deep space out there and never has bedtime seemed so far away.\\nIn this episode we discuss:\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder\\u2014 and how to tell if our kids have it too\\nthe \\u201cexercise effect,\\u201d and why we resist exercise just when we need it the most\\nwhy fresh air is actually a thing\\nhow to keep our kids busy on long days indoors with \\u201ctheme days\\u201d and other new approaches to familiar things\\nhow to tell if you\\u2019re *in* or *out* of Daylight Savings Time (just stop and think: has daylight been saved? If it\\u2019s dark at 4:30, then no, it hasn\\u2019t\\u2026 and therefore you are not in Daylight Savings Time.)\\n\\nAnd here\\u2019s links to some research and other things discussed in this episode:\\nhealthychildren.org: Winter Blues \\u2013 Seasonal Affective Disorder and Depression\\nLaura T. Coffey for Today: Batty from being cooped up with kids? Here are 9 great cures for cabin fever\\nValerie Williams for Mommyish: 10 Things Only Parents With The Winter Blues Will Understand\\nSasa Woodruff for NPR: A New Prescription For Depression: Join A Team And Get Sweaty\\nKirsten Weir for the American Psychological Association: The Exercise Effect\\nPennsylvania Department of Health: Cold Weather Outdoor Play Boosts Immune System\\nAssociation between physical exercise and mental health in 1\\xb72 million individuals in the USA between 2011 and 2015: a cross-sectional study\\n\\xa0\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'