Don't Be SAD
Don't Be SAD
So winter is upon us! Sometimes it’s cold, dreary, and just plain miserable. For many, they curl up on the couch, watch TV and wait for it to be over. It’s easy to get depressed in the winter and some people suffer from seasonal affective disorder or SAD. It is actually very common with over 3 million US cases every year. The good news? It is treatable by a medical professional, it goes away in a few months and you don’t need to test from the doctor to know you have it. SAD is a type of depression that is related to changes in the season. It begins and ends about the same time every year and if you’re like most people with SAD your symptoms start in the fall continue into the winter months and sap your energy and just make you feel moody. Some symptoms may include:
- Heaviness in arms and legs
- Frequent oversleeping
- Cravings for carbohydrates/weight gain
- Relationship problems
If you feel like you’re in a funk or just think you have a case of the winter blues don’t brush that off, you don’t have to tough it out on your own. You can take steps to keep your mood steady throughout the year. Treatments may include light therapy or phototherapy, medications or psychotherapy.
Most of the time the seasonal this order up here late fall early winter and go away during sunny days or spring and summer but some people have the opposite pattern. There’s begins in the spring or summer. Either way symptoms may start out mild and increase as the season goes on.
There are signs and symptoms of SAD which include feeling depressed most of the day, every day, losing interest in the activities you once enjoyed, having a low energy level, not being able to sleep, experiencing changes in your appetite or in your weight, feeling sluggish or agitated, having difficulty concentrating, feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty, or even having frequent thoughts of death or suicide.
Everyone has days when they just feel down, but if you feel down for many days at a time and you just can’t get motivated to do anything, see your doctor. This is very important if you can’t sleep or your appetites changed or if you turn to alcohol for comfort and relaxation, and especially if you feel hopeless or think of suicide.
The specific causes of this disorder are unknown. It is thought that perhaps the reduced level of sunlight and vitamin D may disrupt your body‘s internal clock and just make you sad and depressed. Reduce sunlight can also cause a drop in serotonin. Serotonin is a brain chemical or neurotransmitter that affects your mood. Melatonin which also plays a role in sleep patterns and mood can also be disrupted by the lack of sun. Taking extra vitamin D may help a physician can help you with this.
This condition is diagnosed more frequently in women than men and also more frequently in younger adults there an older adult. If your family has had a history of SAD the new might be more likely to have SAD or another form of depression. If you have another major depression or a bipolar disorder, this may also be a risk factor. SAD appears to be more common in people who live far from the equator. This may be due to the decreased sunlight during the shorter days of winter. This may be because your body needs sunlight to prevent to produce vitamin D and during these winter months, does not get enough of it.
But what can I do today?
There are lifestyle changes that can improve symptoms and actually lift and change your mood. You try going outside more often even if it is cold, bundle up, sit on your porch in the sun so that you get plenty of sunlight, exercising of all kind, avoid drugs and alcohol, get plenty of sleep but don’t stay in bed all day, and try practicing some relaxation exercises.
Plan a healthier lifestyle such as eating healthier and making a schedule to exercise. And don’t beat yourself up if your symptoms don’t improve right away. Please listen to your inner self and don’t brush those symptoms off as the” January blues” and simply hunker down until spring. Asking for help is a sign of strength and movement towards a better version of yourself. Consider how you can start managing seasonal affective disorder today and live a healthier life in every season.
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