Beat the Seasonal BluesSeasonal mood variations are believed to be related mostly to daylight, not temperature. If you live in a climate where daylight hours are shortened (most of these are at northern latitudes, where there is little daylight in the winter) you are most likely to get something like SAD (SAD! - how appropriate - is short for Season Affective Disorder).
SAD is a type of depression that follows the seasons. The most common type of SAD is called winter depression and it has an affect on a lot of people every winter between September and April. During the winter months; December, January and February, there are even more sufferers due to the short days.
We all know that sunlight affects the seasonal activities of animals (i.e., reproductive cycles and hibernation). SAD might be an effect of this seasonal light variation in humans. As seasons change, there is a shift in our “biological clocks”, due partly to these changes in sunlight patterns. This can cause our biological clocks to be out of “step” with our daily schedules.
How to recognize SAD.
Although your symptoms are clues to the diagnosis, not everyone with SAD has the same symptoms. Common symptoms of winter depression include the following:
- Sleep problems: excessive sleeping, difficulty staying awake, in some cases, disturbed sleep and early morning wakening;
- Anxiety: tension and inability to tolerate stress
- Overeating: craving for carbohydrates and sweet foods, usually resulting in weight gain during the fall or winter months;
- Lethargy: feelings of extreme fatigue, inability to maintain regular lifestyle schedule;
- Depression: feelings of sadness, loss of feelings, apathy, feelings of guilt, loss of self-esteem, sometimes despair and hopelessness, combined with irritability ;
- Social problems: lack of interest in social interactions, losing interest in activities of enjoyment;
- Loss of libido: Less interest in sex and physical contact
How to Banish the Blues.
Here are some tips for those of us (yeah, me too) who suffer from SAD as soon as the leaves start to drop. In fact, these tips will help anyone who has occasional spells of mild depression, whether seasonal or not!
1. If you think you have mild SAD, light therapy might be the way to go. Light therapy has been shown to be effective in up to 85 per cent of diagnosed cases. Light boxes are quite expensive so you might want to try some of the other tips first.
2. Try to spend at least ten to fifteen minutes outdoor during the daylight hours. Spending time in nature can be very helpful to. On weekends, take a walk in the woods, visit a park or go to the beach.
3. Make sure you get plenty of exercise (walking is one of the best exercises for depression. It is nearly impossible to think bad thoughts while you are walking briskly), rest, fluids (drink water), and mineral-rich foods. Try oatmeal! Oats are great for mood swings, nerves, and depression. Eat healthier food!
4. Stick to a daily routine. Go to bed on time (preferably before midnight), arrive at work on time, plan your day and make a list of what you want to accomplish and check things off as you accomplish them. Save challenging projects for when you are not fighting (winter) depression
5. Surround yourself with pictures of sunny, colourful scenes. Listen to heart-warming music, watch funny movies and wear warm and comfy clothes in bright colours.
6. Practice smiling: research shows it really helps us to feel more cheerful!
7. If you feel the need…..talk about your SAD. Talk with a friend, a family member or a physician, see a nurse in a clinic or a psychologist. Don’t keep your feelings all bottled up.
8. Decide that the weather can not affect your mood. You cannot change the weather. If the weather is bad, allow a little extra time to get to work. Accept the weather as it is and move on. Don’t forget to enjoy the sunny days as much as possible.
In conclusion, don't give up on yourself and don’t beat yourself up when you’re down, it will only make things worse. There are many ways to ease the symptoms of SAD, some might work and others won’t and hey, if you still feel bad, just yell for help!
6 comments:
I've suffered from SAD for a while and the one thing that has made a real difference is taking high strength Omega 3 capsules. St. John's Wort is quite effective at getting rid of the irritability and takes the edge off the low mood, but the Omega 3 made me feel pretty normal through the winter and I also didn't suffer nearly so much from aching joints.
we have no seasons in singapore, just wet & hot or dry & hot. but i do get the blues alot & all 8 tips seem applicable :) thanks {{Dakota}}
Omega 3 (-6, -9) are great Snowqueen. I make sure they are in my diet by eating cold water oily fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies and sardine, whole-grain bread, cereals, eggs and poultry. Thanks for this tip! St. John’s Wort is effective too, but you can’t use it if you use oral contraceptives or other medication :)
My pleasure {{Boo}} :)
Mmm, I've heard lots about this, so there's some good tips in there Dakota. I don't seem to get it like some of my friends do though.
Omega 6 is not so good - it cancels the effectiveness of 3 so should be avoided apparently.
And yes, be careful with St John's Wort - also many women don't know that taking antibiotics stops the action of oral contraceptives - doctors rarely tell you so if you are taking antibiotics, use barrier protection too.
I believe that SAD, just like a depression, is a different experience for everyone. There are some common grounds, but every depression is, like humans, unique.
I hope some of these tips will keep you warm, DoGGa ;)
They are all essential fatty acids, Snowqueen, but excessive levels of omega-6 acids are bad for you and can even cause diseases. Our Western diet is rich in omega 6 and poor in omega 3 acids. Changing your diet or taking (omega 3) supplements can bring more balance, ease depression symptoms and increase your attention span. Oh…..and make you healthier :)
When I was depressed I wanted to try St. John’s Wort so, I went to the drugstore. They had a warning sign hanging right in front of the St. John’s Wort and that’s how I know!
You are right about the antibiotics. I think it’s really stupid (and careless) that doctors don’t inform women about that.
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