I hate winter. I know many of you love it, and I’m not here to rain on your parade, but winter is the time I’m riding the biggest struggle bus! In the summer I am taking as many walks as I can, swimming, reading in the sunshine, and just plain happy. But in the winter, life feels so gray and I have to force my smile a little more. Sound familiar, anyone?

I know I’m not alone. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has been studying the winter blues, and it’s bigger sister, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) for more than 30 years. While winter blues is not a clinical term and can affect all of us during the darkest, coldest days, SAD is a severe depression which happens cyclically. Among other things, they’ve found that where you live matters. Only about 1% of the Florida population struggles with SAD, compared with about 10% of the Alaskan population. 

So is it more of a struggle in Wisconsin than in other parts of the country? Absolutely. The good news is that our time spent at the Aerial Dance studios can help! 

An article published in December 2024 by the Baylor College of Medicine points out that while seasonal doldrums or SAD makes you experience low serotonin and dopamine levels, you can increase neurotransmitter levels through exercise. Said simply, exercise boosts your mood. The key is either maintaining the amount of exercise you are getting or increasing it.  Does it all have to be hard core workouts? Nope. Bendy babe and aerial yoga classes also work just as well, and incorporate mindfulness, which is another blues-fighter. 

Another reason to come to class? People. Isolation can make depression worse. Even if you’re not feeling especially social, it does your mind good to be around the wonderful instructors and fellow students in class. 

If you’re like me, winter is the time you want to leave your house the least. It feels good to snuggle in and do nothing. While there’s definitely time for that, it’s also important to make time for the studio, especially when we don’t want to move. And seriously, has anyone ever left floor flow or dance cardio without a smile on their face? I doubt it!