Coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder: Shedding Light on the Dark Days

After Daylight Savings Time, doesn't it seem like it is getting dark soon so soon after your day starts??!! The end of Daylight Savings Time brings about reduced light and shorter fall and winter days – and this change may increase Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression triggered by the changing of the seasons and waning daylight.

Exactly what causes the disorder and how isn't fully understood yet, but here's what we do know. Seasonal Affective Disorder has something to do with:

1. Serotonin: Serotonin is the neurotransmitter that helps regulate our moods. It's believed that reduced amounts of sunlight may affect the levels of serotonin in a person's body. And because lower levels of serotonin have been linked to an increased risk for depression, the thinking goes that less sunlight equals less serotonin equals an increased risk for SAD.

2. Circadian Rhythm: Your circadian rhythm, often referred to as your "biological clock," can get disrupted as the seasons change and the amount of sunlight you receive fluctuates. This disruption can lead to symptoms of depression.

3. Melatonin: Melatonin is a hormone that helps regulate sleep and has also been linked to SAD. The body produces increased levels of melatonin at night, and when the nights start growing long, the extra hours without daylight can disrupt the body's level of melatonin, which may also have a mood-altering effect.

And next month on December 21, we'll experience the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice falls every December 21st (the Southern Hemisphere has its winter solstice six months later, on the 21st of June). And while winter may come with its bright holiday spots, figuratively speaking, these are also the darkest days of the year – in the literal sense. The sun rises at its latest, and sets at its earliest.

Symptoms The symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder look much like the same as symptoms of depression, with one key difference: the symptoms begin and end at around the same time each year. There are also a few common symptoms of depression that appear more frequently with SAD, like overeating, lethargy, and often, as a result of those two symptoms, weight gain. Other common symptoms of SAD include:

• Feelings of depression, which may include hopelessness, poor self-esteem, guilt, apathy, and despair.

• More intense mood changes.

• Trouble sleeping or oversleeping.

• Irritability and the urge to isolate oneself.

• Loss of libido.

• Heightened and persistent anxiety.

HOW CAN YOU COPE WITH SAD??

Refresh & Renew can help with two of the most effective ways to cope.

Light Therapy: One effective treatment is light therapy, also called phototherapy. That is where our state-of-the-art tanning booth can help!! If you can't or don't want to UV tan, why not try our LED/RED light therapy. The effects may take a few days or a few weeks to become noticeable, but it appears to be a valid form of SAD treatment for most people.

Maximize your time in the sun: Sun you say?? What SUN? Again, Refresh & Renew can help your vitamin D with their tanning memberships. Because part of the problem is not getting enough sun, do your best to get natural sun and artificial sun to help.

In conclusion, Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real challenge for many people, especially during the darker months of the year. However, with the right strategies and support, it is possible to cope with and manage the symptoms of SAD. Whether it's seeking medical assistance, embracing light therapy, or making the most of available daylight, there are options to help bring a little more sunshine into those dark winter days.