The Scope

St. John’s has the crappiest weather in the entire country. And we’re not just saying that out of frustration because there were only six rain-free days this July. No, Environment Canada actually compiled thirty years of weather data to determine the Canadian cities with the “toughest” – ie, cloudiest, windiest, wettest, foggiest, snowiest, iciest – weather and guess what? St. John’s won. Followed by Gander.

“Anecdotally, there’s a lot more Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) here,” says Sarah MacAuley, who is just about to finish her PhD in Clinical Psychology. She completed her pre-doctoral internship at the MUN Counselling Centre and has a specific interest in the student experience. “When we have less sun, that becomes a real issue. And SAD can definitely lead to major depressive disorders.”

That’s not the only perk of experiencing 215 days of precipitation each year.

“There’s new research suggesting that Newfoundlanders are chronically Vitamin D deprived, due to the lack of sunlight,” says MacAuley.

The MUN Counselling Centre has a full-spectrum SAD light in their waiting room, ready to make you feel less crappy. Regular, ten-minute spells under that light should make your winters (and springs) far more bearable, psychologically-speaking.

Vitamin D is cheap and available over the counter at most drug stores. Talk to your doctor about dosage, do a little research yourself, and see what you feel comfortable with.

Otherwise, MacAuley stresses that the best way to get through the months of lousy weather is to take care of yourself: get outside, get some exercise and keep socializing, even if you swear you’re happier at home with carbs and Arrested Development DVDs. In the long run, you won’t be.

#dealwithit