Don’t be sad

As soon as the winter season sets in, do you start feeling depressed and lazy? Many would agree to this statement. But have you ever wondered why you are experiencing such intense negative feelings? No, it’s not because you are not satisfied with your life. You have been feeling low because you might be experiencing a Seasonal Affective Disorder. Most of us are unaware that such a condition even exists but it’s time we recognize it as this disorder can have dire effects on our life.

Seasonal affective disorder or (SAD), is a type of depression that is related to changes in seasons. SAD begins and ends around the same times every year and the symptoms are likely to start in the fall, as the days start getting shorter and continue into the winter months. The symptoms are typically most severe during December, January and February.

It is important to keep in mind not to compare SAD with the normal ‘winter blues’ that everyone experiences due to the cold weather. This is because the winter blues just make you lazy and lethargic, whereas people with SAD are significantly unhappier and suffer major setbacks in their life. SAD affects about one to two per cent of the population, particularly women and young people, while a milder form of winter blues may affect as many 10 to 20 per cent of people.

However, SAD is not a condition that one should ignore as it can have an impact on your mood, sleep, appetite, energy levels, and takes a toll on one’s relationships, social life, work and sense of self-worth. The good news is, like other forms of depression, SAD is also treatable. The more you understand about seasonal depression, the better equipped you will be to manage or even prevent it. Read on to find out more...

Causes:

Winter depression is still a mystery to scientists. But researchers agree that people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder are particularly sensitive to light, or the lack of it. Many factors including brain chemicals, ions in the air, and genetics seem to be involved the cause of SAD. According to scientists, seasonal affective disorder is due to a ‘phase-shift’ of the circadian rhythm. Basically, a circadian rhythm is a roughly 24 hour cycle in the physiological processes of living beings, including plants, animals, fungi and cyanobacteria. The decrease in sunlight may disrupt your body’s internal clock and lead to feelings of depression. The wall clock may tell you it’s time to get up, but your body’s internal clock says you should be resting. Another cause is the drop in serotonin levels and an increase in melatonin levels. Serotonin is a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that affects mood and reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin that may trigger depression. The melatonin levels on the other hand play a role in sleep patterns and mood shifts. As the brain’s pineal gland starts pumping out more melatonin in winter, we get sleepy.

Symptoms:

The signs and symptoms of SAD are the same as those for major depression. As with depression, the severity of SAD symptoms can vary from person to person - often depending on genetic vulnerability and geographic location. To be clinically diagnosed with this disorder, you need to have experienced these cyclical symptoms for two or more consecutive years.

Common symptoms include depressed mood; low self-esteem; loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy; feelings of sadness, guilt, hopelessness, and despair; feeling angry, irritable, stressed, or anxious. Other symptoms include unexplained aches and pains; changes in sleeping pattern - sleeping for longer than normal and finding it hard to get up in the morning; appetite and weight changes; difficulty concentrating; reduced sex drive; feeling lethargic (lacking in energy) and sleepy during the day and having frequent thoughts of death or suicide.

Treatment:

Light therapy: In light therapy, also called phototherapy, you sit a few feet away from a special light therapy box so that you’re exposed to bright light. Light therapy would still work if melatonin were the main culprit, because light controls melatonin levels. It is one of the first line treatments for fall-onset SAD. It generally starts working in a few days to two weeks and causes few side effects.

Medications: Some people with SAD benefit from antidepressant treatment, especially if symptoms are severe. An extended-release version of the antidepressant bupropion (Wellbutrin XL, Aplenzin) may help prevent depressive episodes in people with a history of SAD. Other antidepressants also may commonly be used to treat SAD.

Improve your diet: Avoid high-impact carbs such as pure sugars or white starches. You may crave them, and they may provide a temporary boost, but they’ll lead to the release of insulin and therefore more cravings. Low-impact carbs such as unprocessed oats, legumes, almonds and walnuts are better, as are high-protein foods, which help keep sweet cravings down.

Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, can help you identify and change negative thoughts and behaviours that may be making you feel worse. It will also help you learn healthy ways to cope with SAD and teach you how to manage stress.

Brighten up environment: Open blinds, trim tree branches that block sunlight or add skylights to your home. Sit closer to bright windows while at home or in the office.

Get outside: Take a long walk, eat lunch at a nearby park, or simply sit on a bench and soak up the sun. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help - especially if you spend some time outside within two hours of getting up in the morning.

Exercise regularly: Exercise and other types of physical activity help decrease SAD symptoms. Being more fit can make you feel strong and healthy, hence you will have more energy and will end up looking good at the same time.