Seasonal Affective Disorder – How To Overcome The “Winter Blues”

As winter approaches, we seem to be plagued by two new realities - the days get colder and they get shorter. Dealing with the cold is relatively easy, add more layers of clothing, curl up in a blanket, take a warm bath, etc. However, dealing with the days getting shorter can be more problematic. For some individuals they not only suffer from the lack of motivation that many individuals face during this time but they also suffer from seasonal affective disorder or SAD. So what is SAD exactly?

 

SAD is a type of depression that recurs every year, usually starting in fall and continues on through winter. (Note: although there are cases of spring/summer SAD, this article will focus on autumn/winter SAD). Some of the symptoms associated are depression, feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, loss of energy, oversleeping, cravings for carbohydrates, weight gain, loss of interest in current activities, and difficulty concentrating. And while having a subset of these symptoms for a day or two is completely normal, having these symptoms for multiple days in a row is not.

 

So what causes SAD in the first place? There are a number of different reasons why you might be affected by SAD, but the most common reason especially during the winter is that the days get shorter thus meaning a lot less sunlight during the day. How does the lack of sunshine affect your mood? This has to do with the balance of serotonin to melatonin production. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter (derived from the amino acid tryptophan) located in your gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, and platelets. It is commonly associated as the "feel good" neurotransmitter since it is often decreased in individuals suffering from depression. This particular neurotransmitter is also light sensitive in that it is stimulated by bright light (think sunshine!) Melatonin on the other hand is a hormone that is best known for its properties in aiding sleep and is stimulated by the dark. So now imagine the days get shorter, so there is less sunlight during the day, less stimulation of serotonin (your "feel good neurotransmitter"), but instead there is more darkness so more stimulation of melatonin (your "sleep hormone"). With that combination you end up more tired and less happy = perfect predisposition to SAD. No wonder so many people from SAD!

 

So what can you do to prevent SAD or at least help with the management of SAD? The most popular method to prevent/treat SAD is using phototherapy (or light therapy). Which means exposing yourself to a "SAD lamp" first thing in the morning, the time that we would normally be exposed to light during the summer (or longer days) to allow our body to shut off melatonin production and activate our serotonin production. Note however, that you can't achieve this with just any type of lamp. You actually need to have a lamp that has the appropriate light spectrum to mimic true sunlight in order to be effective. Besides using a SAD lamp, diet can play a very large role in regulating mood (as well as increasing serotonin production). In this case, eating tryptophan rich foods can help in the production of serotonin as it is required in its production. Foods high in tryptophan include: fish, poultry, soybeans (choose non-GMO), and lamb. Also important are making sure that you're eating foods high in vitamin B3, B5, B6 and methionine (an amino acid) since these molecules are required helping make the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin. Foods high in B3, B6 and methionine include poultry, fish, nuts and seeds, while foods high in B5 include avocado and yogourt (if tolerated).

 

If you're following these dietary guidelines and using a SAD lamp and still can't seem to manage your symptoms or are interested in finding out more information on how to overcome SAD, please call Dr. V to book an appointment.

Comments are closed.