Do You Have the "Winter Blues?"

Are you one of the 10 million Americans who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder during the fall and winter months? First identified by Dr. Norman Rosenthal in 1984, SAD is characterized by a cluster of difficult symptoms that regularly begin in the fall months and disappear in the spring. Many people feel mildly depressed during winter, but SAD sufferers, about 75% of who are women, experience the following symptoms to a degree that impairs their ability to function normally: Trouble concentrating Changes in appetite, craving sweet and starchy foods, weight gain Sleeping more than usual Depression, perhaps even suicidal thoughts, that disappears in the spring and summer Seeing everything in a negative light and interpreting the actions of others in the same negative light
SAD is more common in northern areas of the world; within the United States, less that one percent of Florida residents are affected while nearly ten percent of Alaskans suffers from the disorder. The cause for SAD is undisputedly a lack of exposure to sunlight, but researchers have not come to absolute conclusions about what happens in the body to produce the symptoms. The most widely accepted theory is that lack of sunlight inhibits the production of seratonin, a hormone that regulates moods, and increases the production of melatonin, another hormone which regulates our sleep cycles and is believed to contribute to depression.
While it is generally agreed that phototherapy, exposure to bright artificial lights, results in significant improvement for about 70 percent of SAD sufferers, it is unclear what kind of lights and what intensity is most effective. This therapy involves as little as 30 minutes per day of sitting close to a light box, a bank of white fluorescent lights sold commercially and often reimbursed by insurance companies if prescribed by a medical practitioner. Light therapy is believed to inhibit melatonin production and increase seratonin production, resulting in an anti-depressive effect. Because it is a relatively new technology and may react with certain medications or aggravate certain medical conditions, it is important that people not treat themselves with light exposure until after assessment by a qualified professional. Anti-depressant drugs may be indicated to reduce or eliminate SAD symptoms. Again, there may be unwanted side effects to this therapy and all symptoms should be thoroughly discussed with your doctor and/or mental health professional. Other measures may be taken to counteract the "winter blues:" Exercise briskly at least three times per week. One study concluded that an hour of walking in winter sunlight was as effective as two and one-half hours under bright artificial lights. Make changes in your living environment that expose you to maximum natural sunlight, particularly at the natural time of dawn when your brain can be signaled to decrease its secretion of melatonin. Sleep near an uncovered window with greatest exposure to the rising sun. Sit by a sunlit window at work. Eat a low-fat diet without too much protein and reduce or eliminate caffeine intake. Take a good vitamin and mineral supplement with B complex and magnesium. Even ancient peoples acknowledged the presence of the winter doldrums, but only in the past 15 years have we begun to explore the dimensions and complexities of this difficult disorder. With continuing research and new technology, it is hopeful that SAD sufferers will benefit from more discoveries that will enable them to function normally in the fall and winter months.