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Article posted Wednesday, November 9, 2011 11:47am

Dear Mary Pat,

I always feel kind of blue this time of year. I don’t totally dislike cold weather, but somehow, November is always a shock to my system. I find it hard to keep motivated and feel kind of tired. Am I the only one out there that feels that way?

Signed,

Blah Humbug

Dear Blah Humbug,

I don’t think you are the only one who feels that way. Some people are greatly influenced by the change in seasons. November is a sharp contrast to the summer and fall months. We go from living in an autumnal wonderland full of spectacular colors to bare trees, dropping temperatures and deserted streets in a matter of mere days. Some of our friends bail out of the county on November 1 and they seem to take a whole lot of visitors with them. That’s quite an extreme transition.

If you feel a little just a little sluggish, I think that’s normal. Exercise can help snap you out of it along with some exposure to daylight. If, however, you feel worse than sluggish, you might have something more serious such as Seasonal Affective Disorder. Since I am not remotely qualified to dole out medical advice, you’ll need to consult your doctor.

If the summer months seem to fly by, then so too will the winter ones. In the meantime, we’ll have some good things to look forward to…Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Spring Break and before you know it, the cherry blossoms will be here.

Good luck,

Mary Pat