Friday, 20 November 2009
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Dealing with Seasonal Affect Disorder
Shorter days get me down. With the sun setting at about 5:30 now in New Jersey I have found myself getting a little bummed. At 6:00 pm I feel like I should be getting ready for bed. During the summer, when it stayed light out until 9 or 10 pm I would have no problem getting ready to go out and do something at 8:00. So over the last couple of weeks I have been trying to come up with some ideas as to how I can avoid the winter blues this year and actually enjoy winter.
Besides the mental trick shorter days can play on you, having less light can really affect the brain. People who become bummed or even depressed in the winter may be suffering from something called Seasonal Affect Disorder, also known as SAD. Your body needs the sun to help your brain produce a feel good chemical called serotonin. When you have shorter days, you have less sunlight; therefore some people may have lower serotonin levels during the winter months causing feelings of sadness.
Shorter days may also affect melatonin levels in the brain. Melatonin is a hormone that affects sleep. Light plays a role in how much melatonin your brain produces and if you are not getting enough light your sleep pattern may be disrupted which may affect your mood. So how can you combat the winter blues?
Purchasing a sunlamp or in extreme cases visiting a tanning booth may help those who suffer from SAD. I myself bought a sunlamp a few years ago and sit under it when I read or write so that I get a few extra hours of light a day. I personally do not visit tanning booths for I am more worried about skin cancer than feeling a little bummed but I know that there are people who suffer way more than I from SAD and if a tanning bed makes them feel better than why not?
I also just try to get in as much natural sunlight as possible. Bundling up and taking walks outdoors helps. My dogs look forward to the walks too so everyone benefits! I also like to sit on my deck on a sunny winter day while I do some reading or writing. If it is really cold I will just perch myself near a window and enjoy the warmth from the sun, this is usually enough to lift my spirits at least a little.
Getting out of the house is also important to do when you are trying to fight off the winter blues. Remembering that just because it is dark out does not mean it is bedtime will help you do more with your day. Have friends over for dinner or desert parties. Go shopping or hit up your local bookstore and read or write for a couple of hours. Get some friends together and go bowling or catch a movie. Just get out and have some fun! The winter will fly by before you even realize it!
What helps you ward off the winter blues?
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About the Author
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- From: michcoy@xanga
- Name: Michelle
- About Me: I am a full-time nanny who loves to write whenever I can. I also love being outdoors whenever possible. Camping, hiking and kayaking are a few of my favorite activities.
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Comments (12)
I just finished a study in my Psych class on the effectiveness of Bright Light Therapy (BLT). I did it as my research project were for 7 days I had an hour exposure to BLT and for the other 7 I had no BLT.
The end of the study showed there was a marked improvement in mood for the days where I did BLT as compared to days when there was none. Even though it rained nonstop during the Bright Light Exposure week.
If you do get a bright light box though, make sure it is a clinically approved one. There are a bunch out there that are imitation, and not the real deal.
Oh I didn't know that about the imitation bright light boxes, thanks for the heads up!
Exercising increases serotonin levels and it helps fight depression. You have to get your energy up!
(My biopsych textbook appears to be paying for itself this week.) According to said textbook, there are two different types of S.A.D.: phase delay and phase advance. The normal time interval between the release of melatonin (a hormone that plays an important part in our circadian and seasonal rhythms) in the evening and the midpoint of sleep is 6 hours, but in individuals with S.A.D., the release of melatonin is different; so, it is either delayed or advanced. Those that exhibit phase delay are better treated with phototherapy in the early morning and/or maybe some doses of melatonin in the evening. For phase advance, it's reversed with phototherapy in the evening and/or doses of melatonin in the morning. Other than what my book tells me, I don't know.
Epic win! Get the word out! I have a light that imitates sunlight, too, for my S.A.D.
Oh, how it helps! It's a beautiful, beautiful thing to actually be able to be happy all winter instead of depressed!Hmm.. I'll have to try the light thing. SAD is truly debilitating sometimes.
I'm waiting for a smartass to jump in and claim that it isn't real, though...
FAKE!
this is very funny/weird. we were just talking about this today in school, and i never heard of it before! i feel like, weird now lol like, i understand why i get tired constantly now (:
there's a disorder for everything.
This is some really good information... Unfortunately for someone like me, I do everything you do during the winter but in reverse.
I have reverse SAD. I suffer during the summer months. I also live in a southern California desert so summer lasts from Mid-April through, roughly, the beginning of October. During those months the long days and the sun (not to mention the heat!) leave me almost totally debilitated.
I have to wear sunglasses even in the house and keep my house as dark as possible, have blackout shades on all the windows. Even with all of this, the SAD isn't completely gone and I get horrible migraine headaches to keep it company. The long, hot and sunny days make it nearly impossible to get a good night's rest, too.
The very worst part of this is that I really love to be out in the sun... I like being out doors any time of year, but I especially love the beach and what is a good beach outting in cold, overcast weather? .
move to colorado and snowboard. all the time!
thanks for posting this.