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Managing Seasonal Depression
We’re rolling into the holiday season, and while that thought brings joy to many, it can also have the opposite effect on those who suffer from seasonal depression.
If that describes you, you’re well aware that on the other side of lights and happiness, long, dreary, cold days stretch on before you. Those days threaten to drain your energy, make you moody, and sap the vigor from your life.
You don’t have to ignore those feelings and wait for them to subside in the spring eventually. Here at Midwest Regional Health Services, we help our patients take concrete steps to manage their seasonal depression.
What are the symptoms of seasonal depression?
Seasonal depression, often called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), affects about 5% of the American population. It generally starts in late fall or early winter, continues through winter, and then resolves in the sunny days of spring and summer.
Symptoms include feeling sad or down most of the time, sleeping too much, losing interest in activities you used to enjoy, carbohydrate cravings and weight gain, feeling hopeless, and having thoughts of not wanting to live anymore.
We don’t know the specific cause of SAD, but several factors likely come into play. The decrease in the amount of sunlight you experience may disrupt your body’s internal clock, leading to feelings of depression.
Reduced sunlight can also cause a drop in serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood, and the change of season can also cause an imbalance in melatonin levels, which affect sleep patterns and mood.
You’re at greater risk of seasonal depression if you have a family history of it, bipolar disorder or major depression, and low levels of vitamin D.
How can you manage it?
You can’t necessarily prevent the development of seasonal depression, but you can act early to manage your symptoms and keep them from getting worse over time.
First, expose yourself to as much light as you can. Soak up natural sunlight outdoors or use light therapy, sitting a few feet from a light box designed to mimic natural sunlight. Light therapy is one of Dr. Don Darst’s first-line treatments. It often starts working within the first few days.
You should also stay as active as possible. Not only does exercise help relieve stress and anxiety, but if you can move around outside, the fresh air and sunlight do more good than you realize. Even just a few minutes each day will help. (Bonus points if you go outside first thing in the morning.)
Other ways to manage your SAD include boosting your vitamin D levels, maintaining regular sleep patterns, and even taking a winter vacation to reset your state of mind.
If you feel symptoms of seasonal depression approaching and would like some guidance to help you through, our team at Midwest Regional Health Services is here to help. To schedule an appointment, call our Omaha office at 402-745-1145.
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