GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — It has been a very cloudy winter so far in West Michigan. The last full day of sunshine in Grand Rapids was all the way back on Nov. 7.
If that wasn't enough, December came in at the 11th cloudiest December in the record books, and the 21st cloudiest month overall. In fact, only three days during the month saw sunshine levels over 50%.
At one point, we saw a stretch of 23 days without 50% or more sunshine, from Dec. 5 all the way through Dec. 27. Sadly, this pattern is not looking like it will change for any long period of time in the immediate forecast.
This lack of sunny weather can lead to something called seasonal affective disorder, or a condition of seasonal depression brought on by lack of sunshine during the winter months, especially in higher latitudes. This is differentiated from other forms of depression due to its seasonal nature.
Dr. Subodh Jain, Division Chief of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Corewell Health, told us more about this disorder.
Dr. Jain said "We do not exactly know why it happens, but some of the theories say it's because of our circadian rhythm, which is our body clock. [In winter,] days are shorter, nights or longer, so we are more in [the] dark, it completely messes up our overall day/night distribution. It also messes with our melatonin, it also messes with our serotonin, which is the mood hormone."
Some tips for combatting this disorder include increased exposure to light, sun if possible, but alternatively light therapy during the first hour of the day. Healthy diet, exercise and Vitamin D can also help.
However, Dr. Jain encourages anyone who is struggling to reach out to a therapist if needed.
-- Meteorologist Michael Behrens
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