Seasonal Affective Disorder SAD, also called Seasonal Depression or Winter Blues in milder cases, seems to be related to the lack of sun light. This is in fact a form of depression felt solely during the Winter season. The majority of people endure a very much pronounced sensitivity to the change of season essentially starting during the Autumn, through Winter, and up until Spring.
Each year, with days getting shorter and the intensity of light becoming poorer, many people suffer from seasonal affective disorder – one third being of the acute form and the remaining two thirds suffering from a milder form commonly called Winter Blues. Women suffer from seasonal affective disorder two to three times more frequently than men, and are affected generally as from the age of 20. Everyone is at risk from this disorder, even people who are not prone to depression. The lack of light brings on chemical modifications in the brain, and unlike what many of us may think, non depressive people may just as easily suffer from this disorder, even though people who are prone to depression are at a higher risk.
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Causes of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Melatonin is in fact the sleeping hormone responsible for this disorder. Naturally secreted at night, the levels of melatonin in people suffering from this disorder are too high during the day. Light has the effect of blocking the production of melatonin which is why during the daytime, light carried via the retina to the brain in insufficient quantities, doesn't stop the secretion fo melatonin. This in turn is responsible for internal bio-rhythmical dysfunction, affecting moods, sleep and appetite for example. This sleeping hormone is present in significant quantities in people suffering from SAD.
In 80% of SAD cases, treatment by sessions of bright light therapy has been proved very efficient. Light therapy is therefore without doubt the best method for fighting seasonal affective disorder.
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder
It is very difficult to diagnose problems due to SAD as a large number of symptoms resemble those of other forms of depression or notably manic depression. Even physical troubles like, for example thyroid disorders, may also resemble depression. Usually, when symptoms reoccur two winters in a row, with no real explanation on change of mood and behaviour, or any of the symptoms previously stated above, it is very much possible that you are suffering from SAD.
Unfortunately, a high amount of people suffering from this are not diagnosed as having SAD and are treated by heavy unadapted medication prescribed for classic depression.
Also, it must be recognised that this illness is still very much unknown by General Practitioners and leads to reflection as to the huge amount of anti-depressors prescribed each year approaching and during the Winter.
However, no studies have been carried out on the correlation between the consumption peak for anti-depressors and the season in which they are consumed.
Of course, we can quite understand that it is absolutely of no interest for medical laboratories to follow out studies showing that the majority of anti-depressor consumption takes place in Winter!
Symptoms, amoungst others :
- Diet change, with notably a fancy for sugar or starchy foods
- Weight gain
- Loss of energy
- Tiredness
- Tendancy to sleep too much / to wake up too late
- Difficulty to concentrate / Irritability
- Wanting to be alone
- Anxiety and despair
As a general rule, the symptoms associated with SAD tend to disappear in spring. However, these last few years with the arrival of air-conditioning, a lot of people and notably elderly people, have taken to staying indoors away from sunlight. As you can guess, people are now starting to suffer from SAD in the summer !
Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatments :
Lumidesk light therapy lamp
Light therapy sessions seem to be the most efficient treatment giving an 80% chance of having a positive result.
These sessions are based on a consistent exposure to a medically certified bright light therapy lamp or SAD light box (10 to 30 min/day) so as to compensate for the lack of light.
Lumie 150 Dawn Simulator
The Dawn Simulator also known as sunrise alarm clock or even light alarm is an excellent compliment to light therapy sessions. It has been tested clinically and has had very good results for people suffering from seasonal depression.
Light Therapy in Winter
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Light therapy
