Behavioral Health Articles
Seasonal Affective Disorder: When It’s More Than Just the Winter Blues
by Nancy Hart, Contributing Writer
Clouds and wind and snow for days on end can make even those of us who love the wintertime wonder why we stay in Central New York. As the days shorten and winter sets in, cabin fever and the winter blues can strike anyone.
For some of us, though, the feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and the constant need to sleep and eat become so severe and persistent that they disrupt our daily lives. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is the name given to these extreme mood changes in response to the onset of winter.
The Mayo Clinic offers these tips to controlling SAD symptoms before they become serious:
- Let light into your home and workplace. SAD is thought to be related to the reduced level of sunlight in fall and winter, altering the levels of melatonin and serotonin, chemicals which regulate our moods. Increasing light, especially sunlight exposure, may minimize these changes.
- Exercise regularly. Physical exercise can reduce stress and anxiety, lifting your mood. Outdoor activities like hiking, snowshoeing, skiing (cross-country or downhill) or building snowmen with the kids are all great choices.
- Eat a balanced diet, and avoid alcohol and nonprescription drugs.
- Take time to relax.
- Learn to manage your stress level.
- Socialize. Get out and spend time with the people you enjoy. Gather to hike, play, or ski together, and you’re getting your sunlight as well.
- If possible, take a trip to somewhere warm and sunny.
- Get outside, even on cold winter days. Soak up the sun! An article in the December issue of Consumer Reports suggests that we go outside briefly every few hours. It also states that for older people, getting outdoors in the late afternoon and early evening can help regulate sleep cycles. On the other hand, teenagers seem to respond best to being outside before 10 in the morning and staying indoors in the evening.
If your SAD symptoms are severe, your feelings of hopelessness are ongoing, you find yourself turning to alcohol or drugs, or you think about suicide, see your doctor as soon as possible. He or she may prescribe treatments which might include light therapy, psychotherapy or medications.
Light therapy, although not officially approved by the FDA, is often the main treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder. A special full-spectrum light may be used to mimic sunlight. Consumer Reports states, however, that “there is no good evidence that [full spectrum lights] work better than regular lights.” Easy to use, and with few side effects, light therapy may lift your mood. Light therapy does involve a considerable commitment of time, however – sitting in front of a bright lamp for about 30 minutes each day. The goal is to recreate the light outdoors on a cloudy day, which is 50 to100 times as bright as indoor lighting.
Consumer Reports describes other interesting benefits of light exposure. A 2008 study of nursing home residents who had bright lights installed in their living areas showed improvements in memory.
The first step in staying healthy is often admitting that something is wrong. Fear of the stigma we associate with mental health issues can prevent us from seeking help. But help is available, and it often involves relatively simple changes or treatments. If you believe that Seasonal Affective Disorder is affecting your life, talk with your doctor. See if some of the suggestions above can help you enjoy, or at least tolerate, our Central New York winters.
Nancy Hart is the coordinator of Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Family Fun and Resource Center and a member of the Think Again! Group, which works to increase awareness of stigma and how it affects mental health. Information for this article was taken from the MayoClinic.com article, “Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD,) and the December 2008 Consumer Reports on Health article, “Light Up Your Life.”