The Joy of Twinkle Lights

By Amy Tilley, PsyD
Chief Clinical Officer, Desert Star ARC

Cold winter nights, a roaring fire in the fireplace, sledding down your favorite hill after a fresh snowfall, building a snowman and having a snowball fight with your best friends. Do these things remind you of winter, and all the fun activities to do with friends and family?  Or maybe you like to take in a Christmas movie marathon, sing Christmas carols around your neighborhood, or watch The Nutcracker ballet as an annual tradition with your children.

All of these memories can spark joyful emotions when you recall these special times in your life. Maybe you have experienced the fun of going to see holiday lights at your local zoo, the botanic garden, or driving through the suburbs looking at houses decorated for Christmas.

Every year, many public places deck the halls with millions of holiday lights…or what I like to call “twinkle lights” and open their doors for the community to experience the sights and sounds of the holidays. You can easily spend hours exploring the holiday lights exhibits, with the multitude of snowflakes, snowmen, reindeer, candy cane, and Santa Claus shaped lights…just to name a few. While you are strolling along with your family and cup of hot chocolate, did you ever notice how you felt? Did you feel relaxed? Happy? Peaceful? Joyful? Did you realize that you were enjoying the present moment without any distractions? This is the positive effect twinkle lights can have on you, they bring you joy!

During these cold winter months, light is an important resource to help elevate our mood. Seasonal Affective Disorder is real, and prevalent in the winter when we have less daylight hours. This can disrupt our circadian rhythm and may trigger more symptoms of depression and anxiety. Light therapy can help. Twinkle lights can boost your mood by producing dopamine, the feel good hormone (similar to the feeling when you eat ice cream!). Dopamine is triggered by the soft light that they emit, causing happiness and a sense of joy. Twinkle lights can also trigger a sense of nostalgia, bringing back childhood memories and create a sense of community.

Is your 12 Step group looking for a fun evening out? Make it a social event and take the meeting to the zoo! Get a breath of fresh air, some exercise, and boost your mood! Need to decorate your 12 step meeting space? Do it after a meeting…stringing up lights and decorating a Christmas tree can release dopamine, while you are engaged in a fun, community activity.

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season may be stressful and can have an impact on your recovery. Don’t forget to take time out for yourself and spend time with family. Be intentional about your interactions and go on a new adventure, be outside among the twinkle lights. Make new memories with your kids, family and neighbors. Local zoos and botanical gardens have scheduled evenings for their holiday light displays and they include games, musicians, and a visit with Santa. Find one near you and have a fun evening outside. So, put up that Christmas tree, string all the lights, and play that Christmas music. You may be surprised at how the glow of twinkle lights can improve your mood, bring back fun memories, and create new ones this holiday season.

Have a joyous holiday season!

Amy Tilley and has 20 years in the mental health and addiction recovery field. Her clinical interests include working with young adults and adults diagnosed with co-occurring conditions. 

Visit http://www.desertstarARC.comor call 520-638-6000