SAD Saturday

When I don’t have plans, I have no desire to leave home on cloudy days. If the cloudy day occurs on a Saturday, it gives me an incentive to stay in. On sunny days, the sun shining through my window entices me to get up and start my day. During this time of year in the Mid-Atlantic, there are more cloudy days than sunny. The cloudy days can contribute to a depression known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD usually occurs in the fall and lasts until the beginning of the spring. The symptoms of SAD are[1]:

• Sadness

• Anxiety

• Carbohydrate cravings

• Extreme fatigue

• Suicidal thoughts

• Inability to focus

• Excessive sleeping

• Disinterest in social activities

• Suicidal thoughts

If you have any of these symptoms, contact a healthcare professional who will give you the proper diagnosis.

[1] Cleveland Clinic. (2020, December 07). Seasonal Depression. Retrieved October 23, 2021.

It’s Saturday!

There are not many Saturdays that I have the luxury to lounge in my bed. However, when I do I stay in bed until my body hurts. You would think I would be catching up on sleep or watching television. No. I’m playing a brain game on my phone and afterwards logging in to my Spanish language learning website for a 30 minute practice session. Then, I’m scrolling Instagram watching, and laughing at video sketches from my favorite comedians, getting inspired to try a new hairstyle, or eventually travel internationally again. After I have scrolled social media to my heart’s content, I drag myself out of bed to wash clothes and work around the house to prepare for the upcoming week.

Oftentimes I feel guilty by wasting so much time on these Saturday mornings. The guiltiness is because I think about how much I could have accomplished if I only got out of bed earlier. How do you spend your Saturdays when you have nothing planned? Do you feel guilty about not being productive or is it your time to recharge for the upcoming week?