SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) 101
“Laughter is a sunbeam of the soul.”
― Thomas Mann
This quote is filled with truth.
Yet…what if you haven’t seen your laughter in weeks?
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Have you ever wondered where you disappear to this time of year?
Do parts of your personality get cut off just around daylight savings?
You are not alone. Winter is here.
… and what you feel is not part of your imagination. Instead, it could be an indication that you deal with SAD … Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Before I delve into the details of SAD,
. . . a bit about my personal experience with it.
I was first identified/diagnosed as having SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) over 20 years ago. My psychiatrist had noticed the pattern: my mood and sociability would dip around fall time, and resume to a more mainstream level at the end of spring time.
I’ll delve more into what he prescribed for me later in this blog. Let’s start, however, with what it is … and what causes it.
What is SAD?
According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that has a clear connection to the changes of seasons. The majority of people who deal with SAD begin to see the onset of symptoms in early fall, with an increased intensity as the days shorten into winter. Symptoms may include the following (though not all need to exist in order to benefit from the therapies):
difficulty getting out of bed
feeling depressed for some part of or all of the day
change in appetite
loss of interest in activities you typically enjoy
having difficulty concentrating
loss of hope and thoughts of death or suicide
What causes these depressive symptoms?
The Mayo Clinic attributes the changes in mood to:
Disrupted Circadian Rhythms - the decrease in hours of sunlight affect our biological clock of waking and sleeping…leading to depression.
Drop in Serotonin Levels - a key player in maintaining a stable mood, production of the neurotransmitter serotonin is impacted by decreased sunlight, potentially triggering depression.
Imbalance of Melatonin - another player in maintaining balance in mood and sleep, melatonin is impacted by the shortening days … another possible trigger in the seasonal aspect of SAD.
What steps should you take if this describes you?
The first thing I’d recommend is that you reach out to a medical professional who specializes in depression and SAD. The truth is that depression is real and shouldn’t be ignored.
In addition, here are the six steps
to get through the dark days of winter:
Get educated. After my initial diagnosis, I wanted to know all about it. My doctor recommended that I read: “Winter Blues: Everything you Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder” by Norman Rosenthal. This will give you a deeper understanding of what you’re up against, and arm you with the knowledge to take appropriate action.
Use a light box. I’ve been using my light box in the fall, winter, early spring mornings for 20 years. Simply put, it keeps me functioning … as a parent, wife, at work, and in my health. Using it for 20 minutes in the morning just before or around sunrise boosts my energy, concentration, and mood for the day. Can’t imagine my life without it. When you purchase one, make sure it is rated at 10,000 lux, and that it blocks the U/V light. I used to have this giant one that was a bit of an eye sore, would take up my dining room table, and took five minutes to set up. Despite all that, it was wonderful because my young children would snuggle with me and let me read to them on wintery mornings…huddled around the light box. Love those memories! Nonetheless, I’ve just switched it out for a smaller single person box that takes 30 seconds to set up.
Eat well. One of the specific symptoms of SAD is increased food cravings, especially of starchy carbohydrates. Sound familiar? Oh, it gets real around my house in the fall. All I want to eat is pasta and bread. The lower the quality, the better. But the cost is high…in terms of my mood and energy. Although it feels like a way to get more energy, it’s really ineffective, and can lead to even worse moods and lower energy. Instead, once I realize what’s happening, I have to put my foot down. I put the breaks on eating low quality everything. Instead, this is the time to focus on: quality proteins (like legumes, and Omega3-filled fish, organic meats, and eggs); lots and lots of non-starchy vegetables (because, besides the fact the veggies are really good for us, you need to boost your body full of antioxidants to fight against the stress your body is under this time of year); and quality fats (found in nuts and seeds, avocados, and super dark chocolate).
Exercise. Just when you think you want to sleep all day, here I am telling you to exercise. It’s because it works. Don’t wait for inspiration or for you to feel like it. Instead, head out when you least want to…and watch what an impact it makes on your day. My original tagline for The Fittest Me was “Your Dose of Happy” … because that’s precisely what exercise is. Skip a whole bunch of other things…but don’t skip or skimp on your exercise. It’s the bridge in your day from “I can’t” to “I can”.
Adhere to a sleep schedule. If you’re prone to staying up late to get in that “downtime”…consider rethinking that habit during the winter months. The truth is that the downtime you really need is getting some zzzzs. Especially if you are prone to big mood swings, having a strict sleep schedule could be the key to you achieving a balanced mood.
Be kind to yourself and others. Whether you like it or not, this is the hand you’re dealt. You can beat yourself up about how little you accomplish in the day (especially compared to the summer months), or you can own the fact that the winter months might be less productive for you. And guess what, that’s ok. // As for being kind to others … your relationships AND your brain will thank you for operating from a place of gratitude and generosity. Not only will you maintain relationship capital with those most important to you (so that you’re still friends come spring), but your brain lights up when you act generously with the world.
Share this post with anyone who you think could benefit.
As someone who has been practicing healthy habits to counteract the symptoms of SAD for two decades, I forget that others might not know. I’m admittedly even a bit embarrassed that it has taken me two years of blog writing to touch the topic.
If you need help getting your eating or exercise in order, please reach out. All my Eat4Results coaching is done online…and my Online Training program can be done at your home or a gym. You can schedule a free No Sweat Intro by following this link.
Take care of yourself my friends. Life is hard enough as is. Please don’t suffer alone.
“Strength for Life ~ in a body you love.”
-Rebecca