Have you ever noticed how a gray, rainy day makes you feel gloomy and
tired, but a sunny day can leave you feeling cheerful and energized?
Well, there's a scientific reason for this. Insufficient exposure to
sunlight has been associated with low levels of melatonin and serotonin,
carbohydrate craving, weight gain, and sleep disturbance.
Some of you may have also noticed that you find a seasonal
fluctuation in your moods, feeling depressed only in the cold weather months.
Take a look at your calendar and you'll soon see why. Each year on June
21 we experience the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. With
our longest hours of sunlight in the middle of summer it's no wonder
we're happier this time of year. After this date, however, the days
progressively get shorter until the winter solstice on December 21, the
shortest day. Is it any accident then that so many of us run for the
hills when the holidays roll around? With our serotonin in such short
supply, the added stresses of living up to our images of the
picture-perfect holiday are just too much. The medical term for the
season-long malaise that we fall into is seasonal affective disorder, or
SAD.
Signs and Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder
The symptoms of SAD occur cyclically with a return of symptoms each
year during the winter months. These symptoms tend to be the atypical
symptoms of depression, including:
- increased sleep;
- increased appetite and carbohydrate cravings;
- weight gain;
- irritability;
- interpersonal difficulties (especially rejection sensitivity), and
- a heavy, leaden feeling in the arms or legs.
SAD is believed to be caused by a disturbance in the normal circadian
rhythm of the body. Light entering through the eyes influences this
rhythm. When it is dark, the pineal gland produces a substance called
melatonin which is responsible for the drowsiness we feel each day after
dusk. Light entering the eyes at dawn shuts off the production of
melatonin. During the shorter days of winter, when people may rise
before dawn or not leave their offices until after sunset, these normal
rhythms may become disrupted, producing the symptoms of SAD.
There is also evidence linking SAD to a reduced amount of the
neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is the feel-good substance that
is increased by antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs). This decrease in serotonin production may be
responsible for many of the symptoms of SAD, such as depression and
carbohydrate cravings.
Treatment
Light therapy
Pharmacotherapy
Psychotherapy
NB: If you subscribe to the above symptoms seek medical help, don't diagnose and self medicate yourself.
