Have you ever noticed that as winter approaches, you begin to feel less like yourself? The spark that you had throughout Spring and Summer slowly starts to dim and you find yourself more irritable, sad, restless or lackadaisical (aka tired). If this is a recurring shift that happens as the days get shorter and the winter chill sets in, then you might be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that is season-dependent and tends to occur for people during the late Fall/Winter months. Most commonly, the signs and symptoms of SAD will begin around late fall/early winter and will naturally resolve or improve in spring or summer. While it’s uncommon, some people experience SAD in the summer months (Summer-pattern SAD).
The following guide will help you to understand if you could be experiencing SAD as well as provide you with some practical tips from the therapists at The Happy Hour.
Who SAD Affects
Those who are at a higher risk of developing SAD are: Individuals who live in geographical locations farther from the equator, individuals who live near a time-zone boundary, women, those who have a personal or family history of SAD or other forms of depression, and those with preexisting mental health conditions.
What SAD is Not
SAD is not just the "Winter Blues." While many people feel a little down during the winter months, SAD is a serious form of depression that can significantly impact daily functioning. It's not just something that people can "snap out of" and it isn't due to a lack of willpower. SAD is more intense and persistent than typical seasonal mood changes.
While SAD is a type of depression, it specifically correlates with seasonal changes and is distinct from major depressive disorder, which can occur at any time of the year and is not linked to seasonal patterns. Understanding these distinctions helps in recognizing the seriousness of SAD and the importance of seeking appropriate treatment, such as light therapy, medication, or psychotherapy.
What You Can Do - Get Some Light!
One free and easy intervention for improving your well-being during these difficult months is simply getting outside! Just 10-15 minutes of morning sunlight has been clinically proven to significantly influence your circadian rhythm, stress levels, Vitamin D absorption, and serotonin and melatonin production. If getting outside isn't possible, then find yourself a nice bright spot near a window to help increase your body's exposure to bright light.
Even a few minutes outside without sunglasses can be beneficial. Every little bit helps!
Treatments for SAD
- Therapy and SSRI medications - SAD can be treated like other forms of depression; both therapy and SSRI medications can reduce symptoms.
- Light therapy is showing positive results for many people suffering. This involves sitting by a special lamp called a light box, usually for around 30 minutes to an hour each morning. The additional light encourages your brain to reduce the production of melatonin (the hormone that makes you sleepy) and increase the production of serotonin (the hormone that affects your mood).
- Vitamin D supplementation is also shown some promise in alleviating SAD symptoms. About 35% of Americans are vitamin D deficient, and the vitamin is shown to impact mood, anxiety, and overall health.
- Dawn simulators can help some people with SAD. These devices are alarm clocks, but rather than waking you abruptly with beeping or loud music, they produce light that gradually increases in intensity, just like the sun.
- Essential Oils - A review published in 2020 indicated that essential oils could potentially help lessen symptoms of depression and other psychological issues like anxiety and sleep problems. When it comes to SAD in particular, essential oils could potentially influence the area of the brain that’s responsible for controlling moods and the body’s internal clock that influences sleep and appetite.
- Routine, Routine Routine: Oftentimes, people with SAD have difficulty going to sleep at night and waking up in the morning. It is crucial to set a bedtime routine, regular balanced meals, and an exercise/movement plan.
- Journaling: Getting our thoughts and feelings out on paper can be really helpful, and would complement a bedtime routine that is without blur/green light exposure.
- Restructure your negative thoughts about winter: a recent study found that SAD clients who tended to take negative events personally and ruminate about their symptoms reported higher levels of wintertime depression than those with fewer of those tendencies.
- This meditation on change is a helpful resource.
- Look at your environments- Do you work in a dark office? Is there a way to work some light into your day- even if it’s a 10 min walk around the block in the middle of your day.
- What am I the most excited for in this upcoming season?
- Who am I grateful to have in my life?
- Who makes me feel at home?
- What aspects of myself do I love?
- What has helped me to manage my symptoms of SAD? What has exacerbated my symptoms? What am I curious to try?
- One thing I can start this week is ________________________.