How Can You Prevent Sad
If you have a history of depression, bipolar disorder or suspect that you may be susceptible to it, maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is helpful. Science has found exercise in particular helpful for easing symptoms of depression.
“Changing certain behaviors that exacerbate depression or SAD will reduce the chances of developing SAD depression,” said Amy Cirbus, a New York-based therapist. “For example, staying active despite lacking the motivation, exercising and eating healthy — even when you are not hungry. It is also important to reach out for support.”
McKinley added that lifestyle changes including 30 minutes of exercise a day, going outside to obtain sunlight, getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and avoiding drugs and alcohol, can help. “Decreasing screen time, meditating and connecting with loved ones are great ways to increase emotional well-being and decrease symptoms,” he added.Read more: Try Light Therapy to Manage Seasonal Affective Disorder
Vitruvi Stone Diffuser $119
While not a chemical remedy for SAD, you cant help but be in a better mood after breathing in the soothing smells of essential oils with a Vitruvi diffuser.
The stone diffuser comes in five aesthetically pleasing colors, including charcoal, black, white, terra-cotta and blush pink. To use, simply fill the device with water up to the designated line, add 20 to 25 drops of your favorite pure essential oils and then return the cap and select a time setting for even dispersion all day.
Bearaby Weighted Blanket $199
For those anxious days when you cant get out of bed, help soothe your worries under a weighted blanket. This pick from Bearaby is a great option, as you can choose the weight from 10lbs all the way up to 25lbs, making for a restful sleep and hopefully more positive mornings.
Getting your blood pumping is super important for your health, both mental and physical.
Especially if you are still working from home and dont leave your couch or desk as often as youd like, this under-the-desk treadmill is a perfect solution. The treadmill can be converted to a flat surface to slip under your desk or raised up with a bar like a normal gym set-up for after work.
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Who Is Affected By Seasonal Affective Disorder
Studies show that seasonal affective disorder affects an estimated 10 million people living in the U.S. It often begins between the ages of 18 and 30. SAD is four times more common in women than in men.
There is no singular known cause of this disorder, but there are some biological indicators. These can include producing too much melatonin and difficulty regulating serotonin levels. Other risk factors can include already having a mood disorder or a family history of depression or bipolar disorder.
“Younger adults in their 20s and those patients in the geriatric population are also at increased risk of seasonal affective disorder,” Hunziker says.
You can do many things to prevent or help alleviate the symptoms of SAD.
Effective Techniques To Overcome Seasonal Depression
Seasonal depression, also commonly referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D., is a mental condition that affects many people but is often misunderstood. It is estimated that about 5% of the U.S. population suffers from seasonal depression every year, and even more experience a milder form of the condition.
This condition typically affects people around the same time every year, manifesting in fall and continuing into the winter months. It can impede a persons ability to perform daily tasks and severely impact their mood.
If you suffer from seasonal depression, there are techniques and methods you can do at home to help alleviate symptoms. Here are a few options to consider.
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How Do You Know If You Have Seasonal Affective Disorder
The main symptoms of SAD include:
- having trouble waking up, and sleeping more than usual
- feeling tired and lethargic
- feeling more hungry than usual and craving stodgy and sugary carbohydrates
- finding it hard to stay connected with family and friends
- feeling anxious, irritable and experiencing a low mood
- having difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- losing interest in sex
- feeling helpless or having suicidal thoughts
The symptoms of SAD often get better during the spring and summer months.
Start Preparing In The Fall
One of the best ways of dealing with the negative impacts of seasonal depression is not letting them arise in the first place. Dont wait until your symptoms have gotten to be really bad and then start making changes to help you feel better. If you know that this is something you deal with regularly, then make a plan to prevent the symptoms and start implementing it in fall.
What will prevent your symptoms? That will depend on what you find causes your symptoms and what usually brings you the most relief. Continue reading through the list and if you find that e.g. light therapy or vitamin D supplements really help with your symptoms then perhaps start including those in your prevention plan the next year.
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Make Sure You Get Enough Social Contact
As soon as the seasons change and the days get shorter and colder, many of us will naturally feel inclined to want to stay home. This urge to hibernate and slow down during winter is absolutely normal but it often comes at the cost of going out and being social within our community.
Spending enough time with friends and family is a crucial part of mental health and when we isolate ourselves in the winter, well easily feel the impact it can have on our mood.
So make sure you prioritize staying connected in your social group. Even if you cant spend as much time on outdoor activities, perhaps consider starting up game nights or regularly cooking dinners together. Any kind of interaction with other people will make you feel less alone and hopefully ease some of the winter blues you might be feeling.
Spend Time In Sunlight
Try and spend time outdoors during the day, says Dr. Beth Pausic, psychologist & mental health expert from Hims& Hers. While this can be more challenging for those living in colder climates, the light is beneficial. The lack of sun is what makes me personally spiral in the first place. Therefore, spending some time in the sun before it sets is in your best interest to help keep your brain happy. The best time to spend outside in the sun is in the morning to get as many rays in as possible. Waiting until the end of the day when the sun is setting might make you feel like your day is over. Try getting outside on a walk before work and let the suns rays hit your skin.
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Do You Need Help With Your Diet
Do you need help ensuring that you are eating foods rich in nutrients daily during the fall and winter months? ModifyHealth can help you with this! Our Low FODMAP and Mediterranean Diet meal plans are designed by doctors and dietitians to help improve your general health and wellness as well as combat chronic conditions.
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What Are Some Strategies To Manage Seasonal Depression And Fatigue
Try to spend time outside for at least 10 minutes a day. If there is sunlight, moving, standing or sitting in the sun can stimulate your production of Vitamin D . If there isnt any sunlight, it is still great to get outside because being in the daylight can help regulate your internal clock. As a bonus, moving your body releases good-mood endorphins that can help enhance feelings of well-being.
2. Use Light Therapy
One type of light therapy uses light boxes with fluorescent lights to supplement our bodies need for light during darker months. Typically, people use these boxes for thirty minutes within the first hour of waking up. Light therapy can help balance serotonin levels and improve your internal clock. A second type is a dawn simulator that mimics the effects of dawn over 30 minutes to an hour. These help you wake up in a more natural way and help to regulate your circadian rhythm.
3. Increase Vitamin D Intake
Oftentimes people with SAD, or people feeling low or fatigued from winter months are low in Vitamin D. Vitamin D is important because it can play a role in the production of serotonin and dopamine. Try including more Vitamin D rich foods in your diet or taking Vitamin D supplements. Check out these plant-based sources of Vitamin D.
4. Focus on a Colorful Diet
5. Try Aromatherapy
6. Yoga & Meditation
7. Spend time with Friends and Family
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Ways To Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder
As temperatures drop and the days become shorter, you may notice a dip in your mood. Seasonal affective disorder , or winter depression, is a common mental health problem. In fact, the American Academy of Family Physicians, reports that 4-6 percent of people may have SAD, and another 10-20 percent may have a mild case of SAD.
SAD can be as debilitating as traditional yearlong anxiety and/or depression, said clinical psychologist Amanda Rafkin.
SAD often occurs during the winter when lower levels of sunlight may affect the balance of hormones like serotonin and melatonin. Lower levels of these two hormones can negatively impact sleep, mood and overall well-being.
Want to boost your mood during dark winter months? Youre in luck! Here are 10 tips on ways to manage symptoms of SAD.
Ways To Combat Seasonal Depression
Does your mood plunge when after we all turn our clocks back and it starts to get dark earlier? While missing the fun of summer is one thing, a more sustained and significant downturn in your mood could be a sign of trouble. If you feel sad, disengaged, and fatigued during the coldest months of the year, there could be a real mental health disorder to blame.
Read Also: Does Taking Melatonin Cause Depression
A Webinar Hosted By Dartmouth Health Today Was Trying To Help End The Stigma Around The Seasonal Blues
- to copyLink copied!
A webinar hosted by Dartmouth Health today was trying to help end the stigma around the seasonal blues.
- to copyLink copied!
A webinar hosted by Dartmouth Health today was trying to help end the stigma around the seasonal blues.
- to copyLink copied!
LEBANON, N.H.
As the long dark days of winter get underway, healthcare professionals are reminding people of the impact the lack of daylight can have on our mood.
My late husband had significant depression anxiety is much more common than people like to admit, said Dr. Joanne Conroy, CEO and president of Dartmouth Health. And I think we’ve appreciated during COVID that it’s a little bit worse.
About 5% of Americans suffer from seasonal affective disorder, a depression that is triggered during the late fall and winter months. The lack of sunlight, because of shorter days, affects the chemicals that regulate mood.
There is a suggestion and a hypothesis that the exposure to light the numbers of hours of natural sunlight might have an effect on circadian rhythms, and and that can have downstream effects on activity levels and mood and all those sorts of things,” said Robert Brady, director of anxiety disorders service at Dartmouth Health.
Symptoms include fatigue, lack of energy, oversleeping, difficulty concentrating and craving foods high in carbohydrates that can cause weight gain. Doctors at Dartmouth Health suggest something they call “behavioral activation” to help.
Two Different Ways Of Administering Light Therapy
1. A light box delivers light that with up to ten times the intensity of normal domestic lighting. In most cases, you simply sit about 12 inches in front of a 10,000-lux light box for 15 to 30 minutes each morning. The light box emits a controlled amount of white light, with harmful ultraviolet rays filtered out.
While the light needs to enter the eyes, you shouldnt stare directly at the light box, but rather continue your morning routine, such as eating breakfast, reading the newspaper or working at the computer. Most people notice an improvement in their SAD symptoms after a few days and experience the full antidepressant effect in about two weeks.
You can buy a light box without a prescription, although you may want to work with a professional to monitor the benefits of the treatment. While light therapy carries few side effects, consult your doctor about any eye or skin problems before using a light box. Also, beware that light therapy may trigger a manic episode if you have bipolar disorder.
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What Causes Seasonal Affective Disorder
For those with winter SAD, shorter, darker days are what trigger depressive symptoms, Dr. Rohan said. But experts dont know exactly why this happens.
A leading theory has to do with a shift in the biological clock. Normally, the body produces melatonin at night, which helps promote sleep. When the levels of melatonin taper off as sunrise approaches, that helps people wake up. But if you have winter SAD, melatonin peaks later and lingers for longer into the morning, making it harder to wake up and leaving you fatigued and groggy. Because you dont reach peak wakefulness until later in the day, its harder to fall asleep once evening comes perpetuating a cycle of insomnia, inadequate sleep and fatigue, and exacerbating depressive symptoms.
Most people who are vulnerable to SAD are most likely always susceptible to feeling down, said Kathryn Roecklein, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. But in the winter, light levels fall below a threshold and suddenly things are off balance.
Theres also some evidence that the negative anticipation of shorter days thinking, for instance, I just dont function well in the winter or Im going to start feeling poorly soon, Dr. Roecklein said can combine with biological effects to create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Healthy Ways To Combat Seasonal Depression
Fall brings upon us a welcomed change from sweltering heat to sweater weather and pumpkin-spiced everything. As much as we love the holiday season, fall also marks the beginning of shorter days less sunshine and longer nights can make some people feel more down than in the sunnier days, a phenomenon known as seasonal depression
According to Mental Health America, seasonal depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression caused by less sunlight in the fall and winter, which lowers the levels of serotonin, a mood-impacting neurotransmitter. It simultaneously increases levels of melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep. Common symptoms include anxiety, mood changes, sleep problems, tiredness, and lack of interest in social activities.
SAD usually starts in late fall or early winter and can last four to five months, depending on your geography, as people living away from the equator experience it more, per the National Institute of Mental Health.
Deborah Pierce, M.D., clinical associate professor of family medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in Rochester, New York, told Everyday Health, “It is important to treat SAD, because all forms of depression limit people’s ability to live their lives to the fullest, to enjoy their families, and to function well at work.”
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What Is Sad And Who Is At Risk For Developing It
Seasonal affective disorder, also known as seasonal depression, is a form of depression that tends to affect people during the winter months, said Malin McKinley, a psychotherapist based in Agoura Hills, California, who specializes in anxiety and depression.
“Although the causes of SAD are unknown, the disorder has been linked to biochemical imbalances in the brain due to a decrease in both daylight and sunlight during the winter months.” “Symptoms are most common November to April and can vary from mild to severe,” McKinley told CNET. Although anyone can experience SAD, seasonal depression in the US tends to affect people more in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska the Northeast and other regions that experience colder winters. It’s also more common among people with a history of depression.
Is Seasonal Depression Real
The term seasonal affective disorder was coined in the 1980s by Norman Rosenthal, MD, a psychiatrist and research scientist who studied mood and biological rhythm disorders at the National Institutes of Mental Health. In his best-selling book Winter Blues, he revealed his own struggle with SAD and pointed to light deprivation as a major cause. By the 1990s, the concept of seasonal depression was generally accepted by most Americans.
In 2015, researchers announced theyd discovered a new explanation for seasonal ups and downs: Genes promoting inflammation are more active in winter. This could be why many chronic conditions including Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and depression flare in the colder, darker months.
Then in 2016, a report analyzing data from 34,000 Americans suggested that SAD either doesnt exist or is very rare. Was seasonal depression merely a widespread cultural myth? For every statistic that supports the winter blues, some experts argued, you can find another that indicates the opposite. Suicide rates are higher in spring and summer. And in some communities near the Arctic Circle that get little or no sun in winter, depression rates are steady year-round and sometimes lower than in regions much farther south.
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Engage In Social Activities During The Fall
Most people are out and about in the warmer months, but tend to hibernate in the winter, which could make seasonal affective disorder worse. If you’re someone who feels more hopeless during the colder time of the year, it’s wise to make plans early in order to ease the transition into winter.
Psychologist Kim Burgess, Ph.D., founder of the Pediatric Psychology Center in Rockville, Maryland, told Everyday Health, “It’s better to set yourself up for the winter season by starting in the fall season doing enjoyable activities, initiating friend group chats and outings, choosing fun hobbies, and engaging in clubs or community service.” Dr. Burgess advises people to join social activities or clubs that help improve their mood and physical health. Perhaps consider joining an indoor sports team or knitting group where you have to socialize with other people this will help keep your emotional health in check.
“Creating a new social obligation can motivate us. Anything that makes you take part in activities that allow you to be engaged outside of your self-awareness is useful for people who are living with SAD,” psychologist Scott Bea, PsyD, told Cleveland Health Clinic.
If you’re looking for options that are a little easier than joining a team or club, consider organizing weekly dinners or walks with friends connecting with others will boost your mental well-being. Plus, you might discover a new hobby or passion you would have never learned about earlier.