Beat the Seasonal Blues

Nearly everyone experiences some kind of mood or behavior alteration with a seasonal change. And up north, where light is scarce, the days leading into the thick of winter can have a profound effect on our disposition. Sure, a day or two of the winter blues is quite normal. But for some, a significant mood change accompanying the looming cold months is a real concern.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, known as SAD, is a form of depression associated with changes in season. SAD can start as early as September, when the daylight hours first start to decrease, and can last all the way into spring.

David Adson, MD, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Minnesota, found that SAD affects approximately 1 percent of the population in the U.S. and 2 to 3 percent in Canada. (SAD tends to affect a higher percentage of the population the farther north they are located.) It is also twice as common in women than in men.

Like a Hibernating Bear

Robert Havel, licensed psychologist at the Eagan location of the Minnesota Mental Health Clinics, likens SAD to a bear preparing for hibernation. A bear knows food will be scarce, Havel says, so eating more is a survival skill. And only by sleeping—a lot—does the bear make it through the winter.

Adson says these are good indicators that you may have SAD:

+ Feeling excessively sleepy
+ Sleeping more than normal
+ Irritable mood
+ Craving foods heavy in carbohydrates
+ Weight gain

But there is more to SAD than your body thinking it should go into hibernation. The following symptoms of depression can present themselves:

+ Feelings of sadness
+ Lethargy and a lack of energy
+ Difficulty concentrating
+ Social withdrawal
+ Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy
+ Thoughts of suicide
+ Increase in appetite
+ Increase in sleep

Taking it Seriously

We all get a little cabin fever when we’re cooped up indoors and lacking sunlight exposure. But don’t immediately jump to conclusions. Adson says there’s an easy way to tell if SAD is really affecting you. “It all relates to degree of disability,” he says. If you’re unable to carry on with normal aspects of your life, or if your basic functioning is impaired, those are signs you need medical help. Then it’s time to see your primary care physician, who might recommend you visit a psychiatrist.

Additionally, according to Adson, for SAD to be diagnosed, symptoms have to reoccur, say from one winter to the next, but go away during the summer months. However, don’t take depression lightly. Adson says developing a depression in mid-December indicates that you’re likely experiencing something more serious than SAD.

Turn on the Light

Light therapy has been the most successful treatment for SAD. This involves using a light box with a powerful bulb of 10,000 lux (the standard unit of light intensity) of full spectrum light, which is outside the ultraviolet range and does not cause your skin to tan. This is a much more concentrated and powerful light than we use normally, which measures approximately 500 lux.

To benefit from a light box, you have to soak up its energy for at least half an hour, typically in the morning (doing so at other times of the day can disrupt sleep patterns). Adson says patients usually feel relief after a few days of therapy. Although side effects can include headache and eye irritation, using light therapy avoids side effects from medication and works about 70 percent of the time. Check out Light Therapy Products to see light box options.

A machine that simulates dawn is another treatment option. A light gradually illuminates a room, like a rising sun would, and wakes you in the morning. Full-spectrum lights and dawn simulators cost between $100-$500, and insurances companies generally do not pay for them.

Antidepressants that have been prescribed for SAD are in the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor class and include Prozac, Paxil, Zolft, Celexa, and Lexapro. These take several weeks to take effect and generally are not as successful in treating SAD as light therapy, but insurance carriers normally cover them.

Though the winter seems long, the good news is January does bring relief. After the December 22 winter solstice, daylight hours begin to increase, so the days of leaving work when the sun has set slowly disappear.

Beating the Blues For those of us with a mild case of the winter doldrums, Adson and Havel have a few suggestions. + Get outside and soak up the sun. Havel says that November is actually one of the harder months because there’s little snow and the days tend to be dreary. When bright, white snow is on the ground, get outside. The snow increases the amount of light by reflecting the sun’s rays. It’s the most natural form of light therapy. + Be active. Havel recommends maintaining your activity level from the summer months. This is an easy way to keep your energy up and your body feeling healthy, despite the darkness. + Take supplements. Specifically, vitamin D and fish oil tablets, which both have shown to help brain function. You can also consume fish (twice a week is recommended by the American Heart Association) to get the benefits of fish oil. A higher consumption of seafood has been linked to a decreased prevalence of depression. + Avoid carbs. In order to curb unnecessary winter weight gain, cut the unnecessary carbs (ahem, sweets) from your diet—even if you’re craving them, says Adson. It might take some willpower, but if you abstain from bread, crackers, pasta, and cereal, your cravings actually go down. For more information on Seasonal Affective Disorder, visit: HealthTalk.umn.edu MayoClinic.com