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HEALTH

Feeling blue? Here are some tips for dealing with the dark months ahead

One in four Germans is affected by the gloomy winter months and up to five percent experience the 'winter blues,' a medical condition that can be countered by a few simple tips.

Feeling blue? Here are some tips for dealing with the dark months ahead
Sitting in front of a light box can help beat winter depression. Photo: DPA.

If Antonio Vivaldi had lived in northern Germany, he may not have composed The Four Seasons, rather The Three Seasons: Spring, Summer and Darkness.

Northern European cities have as few as 42 (Hamburg) to 45 (Berlin) hours of sunlight in the month of January. Stockholm is on average even bleaker, with a paltry 40 hours of sun in a study that compiles over 30 years of data. Comparatively, southern European cities like Naples have 115 hours or Madrid has a whopping average of 148 hours of sunlight in the month of January.

It is no wonder why the term winter blues is common here in the north.

“It is getting cooler, it is getting darker – many people are experiencing this as a detrimental effect,” said Iris Hauth, President of the German Association for Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics (DGPPN).

One in four Germans suffers from health impairments in the winter and studies show that two to five percent of the population (more women than men) have a regular Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) beginning in the fall, where daylight is history by 4:30 in the afternoon.

Symptoms of the winter blues, which is a recognized medical condition, are similar to other signs of depression, like lethargy, or an inability to stay concentrated or focused, says Hauth. But a major difference between the winter blues compared to depression, she said, is that people afflicted with SAD can't stop eating sweets and carbohydrates. They also need a lot more sleep.

“This is attributed to the lack of light,” explains Hauth. This leads to a higher production of the sleep hormone melatonin, which controls the day-night rhythm in our bodies. For melatonin production, the body converts seratonin, a neurotransmitter that affects our mood, and decreases the body's supply – leading to many of the depressive symptoms. In extreme cases, people can even have suicidal thoughts.

Have you been looking for ways to naturally bring light and lightness back into your life during the dark, wintry season? We've got you covered. 

Five tips for dealing with the gloomy winter months

  • Light box therapy: sitting in front of a light box can replace some of the sunshine your body craves during the dark German autumn and winter. The light from these boxes is much brighter than the light emitted from your average light bulb and can stimulate the body's circadian rhythm (24-hour internal clock) while suppressing the release of the sleep hormone melatonin.

  • Vitamin D: During the winter months many of us have a vitamin D deficiency due to the lack of sunlight, which can also lead to the sluggishness and moodiness associated with the winter blues. The risk of suffering from depression doubles in young adults with Vitamin D deficiencies, according to a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

  • Dawn simulators (Dämmerung simulator): These are like alarm clocks that use gradually increasing light to wake you up slowly, the same way the sun would. The best kinds use full-spectrum light, which is closest to natural sunlight.

  • Exercise: While it might seem hard to get moving when you wake up and head home in darkness, at least one hour of regular outdoor exercise and keeping a regular schedule can help keep the blues away, according to expert Hauth. Exercise increases the rate and frequency in which seratonin is produced. Regular exercise also increases the level of tryptophan in the brain – an amino acid used to manufacture seratonin.

  • Aromatherapy: Your sense of smell is directly connected to your mood, via your limbic system, the part of the brain that controls your mood and the circadian rhythm. Lavender, bergamot, verbena, neroli, rosewood, patchouli, palmrose, orange and lemon oils are recommended by Heilpraxis.net as beneficial for dealing with the winter blues.

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HEALTH

Does my German health insurance cover me if I get sick abroad?

If you’ll spend some time abroad this year, it may be worth checking if your German health insurance will cover you while travelling. Many German health insurance policies offer some coverage abroad, but not everywhere.

Does my German health insurance cover me if I get sick abroad?

If you’re planning to travel this summer, you may want to review your German health insurance policy before you leave. It’s wise to know what your insurance will and will not cover in case you or a family member get sick abroad.

As a reminder, health insurance is mandatory for all residents in Germany. So all legal residents here undoubtedly have at least the basic required coverage, provided by one of Germany’s public health insurance providers or a private health insurance plan that meets the minimum coverage requirements.

German insurance does cover medical emergencies in Europe

Statutory health insurance holders in Germany automatically receive a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). In many cases your EHIC is the same as your regular health insurance card (Gesundheitskarte).

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED – Can you switch from private to public health insurance in Germany?

For those with an EHIC, necessary health care is covered in European countries. For example, if you get sick while travelling Europe, or have an accident or need urgent surgery, your German insurance will pay for the immediate emergency treatment you require.

Some health insurance plans may also extend their coverage to a few other countries beyond the EU, such as Switzerland, Iceland or French territories like French Guiana or Guadeloupe, just to name a few examples. 

But generally basic coverage does not extend to Africa, the Americas, Australia or Asia.

A full list of countries where you can use your EHIC is found here.

health insurance cards

Many health insurance cards in Germany double as a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), meaning that they can be used across Europe. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jens Kalaene

Note that this care does not necessarily extend to treatments that are not urgent. Once your condition is stabilised and it is safe for you to travel, you may be transferred back to Germany to finish any further treatments at home.

Generally doctors in other European countries should be able to bill EHIC providers directly, but if not, you’ll want to keep your bill and submit an invoice to your health insurance provider for a reimbursement. In this case, you should collect and keep all the documents you receive related to your care, like prescriptions and receipts.

Generally additional health insurance would be required for long-distance trips. If you are taking a business trip abroad, your employer is responsible for reimbursing health care costs.

Note that health costs can be considerably more expensive in other countries

A standard health insurance plan in Germany won’t cover medical expenses incurred in most countries outside of Europe, so you may want to purchase travel health insurance for trips beyond the continent.

Keep in mind that in some countries, like the United States, the cost of medical care tends to be significantly higher than it would be in Germany. So purchasing additional care insurance may be worth considering when travelling there.

Most major insurers in Germany, like Allianz and AXA, offer supplemental global health coverage that would pay for most of the costs which are un-refunded by your main insurance while travelling.

READ ALSO: Could it soon get harder to get private health insurance in Germany?

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