Don't get SAD!
Summer is over and people get SAD – literally. Seasonal Affective Disorder begins and ends at about the same time every year; it starts late fall and continues through the winter months until sunnier days return in spring or summer.
The reduced level of sunlight can seriously affect our internal clock and serotonin levels (the brain chemical that affects mood) and the following symptoms may appear:
- Persistent low mood, sadness
- A loss of pleasure or interest in normal everyday activities, mood swings, loneliness, social withdrawal, hopelessness
-Irritability
- Feeling lethargic, general disconnection
- Lacking energy and feeling sleepy during the day; sleeping longer than usual and finding it hard to get up in the morning
- Appetite changes, craving carbs and gaining weight
These all sound SAD but the good thing is there are recognized treatments and activities that can help pull you from the depths of it.
- Getting regular exercise – I know it’s been said so many times but we have to emphasize it again; exercising is REALLY helpful in keeping us on track both mentally and physically (click here and here to read related articles).
- Light therapy – you sit or work near a device called a light box, a therapy box that mimics natural outdoor light and helps to “train” your circadian rhythm to act in the winter in the same way that it would in the summer. Sitting in bright light for a couple of hours is thought to stimulate brain chemicals linked to mood and sleep. 2 hours might seem like a long time but when you work at a desk, for example, it's really just like turning on a bright lamp while you work.
- Watch your vitamin D intake - vitamin D supplementation might be useful. While the role of vitamin D in depression is still controversial there are several studies that find the “sunshine” vitamin can help to regulate mood.
You can self-diagnose and might be able to self-treat but if you think you have SAD and your symptoms are severe it is always good to seek medical advice.
