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Health & Fitness

Feeling Down? Is it Winter Blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder?

A touch of winter blues is common in fall/winter months, but some folks are devastated with depression and may suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder — a treatable disorder.

 

To describe the clinical form of the Winter blues, I'd like to paraphrase Norman Rosenthal, M.D. the researcher who first described Season Affective Disorder or SAD. Dr. Rosenthal described that just like bears, squirrels, and other animals, humans have evolved under the sun.  

Hence, our bodies naturally respond to the rhythms of night and day, darkness and light, cold and warmth, scarcity and plenty.  

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Our bodies have been shaped by the seasons. Hence, we respond to these rhythms in two ways:  how we feel and how we behave.  However, for some folks, these rhythms of nature disrupt their lives. Most people experience some alteration in mood or behavior with the changing of the seasons. Some may experience a mild form of winter blues.

For others, the may feel merely a decreased energy level. But for others, a devastating dip in their overall ability to function may occur. The latter group is comprised of one out of four people in the U.S., or an estimated 36 million people. The the Northern Hemisphere, daylight grows increasingly short during the Winter months.

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If you notice a dramatic shift in your mood beginning in early autumn or early Winter and remaining until spring, you may be suffering from a clinical form of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder. The form of depression lasts between five and seven months, with more severe symptoms noticed during afternoon and evening hours. To be officially diagnosed with SAD, an individual must experience three Winters of classic SAD symptoms, two of which are consecutive.

There are two forms of SAD: Winter Type (common form of SAD) and Summer Type (rare). I'll focus on the Winter Type, when symptoms tend to worsen during December, January, or February. The four classic signs of SAD are: 1) Increased desire to sleep (tendency to sleep longer with more awakenings and less satisfying overall sleep). 2) Extreme lethargy/fatigue (drowsy throughout the day). 3) Depression 4) Increased appetite which often leads to weight gain (cravings for high carbohydrate foods and drinking of alcohol, coffee and smoking nicotine are quite common).

People with SAD often experience some additional symptoms that are not necessary for the diagnosis of SAD, such as: * Anxiety: tension, inability to tolerate stress, phobias * Social problems: irritability and avoidance of social contact * Menstrual difficulties (PMS worsens during winter than other seasons) * Increased sensitivity to pain (i.e. headaches, muscle and joint pain) * Other physical ailments (i.e. constipation, diarrhea, palpitations, etc.) * Increased sensitivity to cold * Marked reduction in ability to think and concentrate (brain fog).

There appear to be at least three keys to the development of depression in SAD.

An individual must have the following: 1. An inherent vulnerability (genetic predisposition) 2. Experience light deprivation 3. Be exposed to enough stress to push them over the threshold from mild winter energy depletion to clinical SAD The primary treatment approach for SAD involves PHOTOTHERAPY, or light therapy.

Light stimulates or suppresses the secretion of hormones which influence our monthly and annual cycles of sleeping, eating, and reproducing. Research studies have resulted in designing light systems with high spectrum lights which closely replicates natural outdoor sunlight. Treatment lights (10,000 lux) cost in the range of $200 to $500. Insurance companies often cover the cost of a light system once an individual has been officially diagnosed.

The success rate of phototherapy is quite high, with between 75 percent to 80 percent of cases showing signs of symptom improvement within an average of four days of twice daily light therapy. Treatment is best begun when summer draws to a close. Vacationing in a sunny location will temporarily relieve SAD symptoms, as well, but they'll return if light treatment isn't continued upon returning home.

For some SAD sufferers, light therapy will not be enough and anti-depressant medication may need to be added to the treatment plan.

Once you've been properly diagnosed with SAD there are several things you can do on your own to it easier to get through this difficult time of year: * Get outdoors in the sun light as often as possible. * Sit near sunny windows in your house * Exercise * Reduce your self-expectations during Winter months * Plan major projects for spring or summer when your energy is high.

Try to plan stressful changes such as a move to a new house, change of job, etc. for these months. * Have a sun roof installed in your car if you tend to drive a lot. * Have sky lights installed in your house; especially in dark rooms * Add more lights to rooms in your house and paint with lighter colors so that more light is reflected off the walls. * Join a local (or virtual on-line) self-help support group for SAD

As you can see, there are many things you can do to help yourself cope with SAD once you've become aware and educated about SAD symptoms.

By Ginger E. Blume, Ph.D. www.drgingerblume.com

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