Fall & Winter Are Coming! So is SAD for some people. Let’s get prepared by learning about it!
Does Daylight Savings Time make you SAD?
The majority of the US observes daylight saving time. Every year, starting on the 2nd Sunday of March, clocks are advanced by one hour. Then, they are reset to normal on the 1st Sunday of November.
Since its implementation by Congress around 1918, daylight saving time has been a source of contention. Some say that it cuts energy usage while also improving the economy. Others argue that there may be health and safety concerns, such as a higher risk of heart problems or road accidents.
However, one developing issue is its impact on mood disorders such as Seasonal Depression.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
As the seasons change and the days get shortened and darker, many people experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This is because reduced exposure to sunlight disturbs our circadian cycles, resulting in a dip in serotonin and a surge in melatonin, which may contribute to tiredness and despair.
This is a distinct mood disorder since the weather and place cause it. The frequency of seasonal affective disorder is relatively low in southern states but much more significant in northern ones such as Alaska. This is because we rely on sunshine for physical and emotional wellness.
Seasonal affective disorder is a mood illness that happens particularly during certain times of the year.
Seasonal depression is more frequent in the autumn and winter months. However, some people experience seasonal depression throughout the summer and spring seasons.
Seasonal depression leads to symptoms such as:
Sadness or depression
Losing interest in previously loved activities, eating more, particularly carbs
Sleeping excessively
Feeling tired or feeling exhausted
Feeling restless or slowed down
Feeling guilty or useless
Having difficulty making choices or focusing
Contemplating death or suicide
Seasonal sad people tend to follow the same pattern year after year, feeling depressed in the autumn and winter or even spring and summer but feeling OK the rest of the year.
If you've had this trend for at least two years, you may suffer from seasonal depression.
Unsure if you may have SAD? Check out the SAD Calendar attached to track for yourself.
What factors contribute to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?
Our bodies contain an internal clock, or circadian, that alternates between periods of sleep and alertness throughout the day.
Our exposure to sunshine establishes our internal clock. When light reaches our eyes, it signals our brain that it is time to get up. When it becomes dark outside, our brain receives a chemical signal that it's time to sleep.
Our biological clock may get interrupted throughout the autumn and winter months owing to a lack of exposure to sunshine. This might result in the symptoms of seasonal depression.
Some recommendations provided by Timmons-Mitchell and Hoffmann that may help you lower your risk of seasonal depression include:
Start your therapy early. Light treatment may both cure and ward against seasonal depression. Use it before any symptoms show up.
When most susceptible to depression, try to schedule your trip to a place with more sunshine. Individuals often go to brighter regions, like the French Riviera, to cure seasonal depression in certain nations, like Norway, where it is widespread. Snowbirds flock to Florida in the wintertime for this reason.
Walk outside in the early morning sunshine. A practical substitute for light treatment is to spend at least an hour outside in the sunshine.
Get your vitamin levels checked-especially Vitamins B and D. Proper supplementation of these vitamins can make a big difference!
Never be embarrassed to ask for assistance if you need it. You shouldn't be ashamed of or scared to discuss SAD with your peers, family, and PCP since many individuals experience it.
Get some counseling or therapy if needed for professional support.
Make sure that you are eating well balanced diet that includes whole grains, good fats (omega 3’s), lean protein, non-starch vegetables and whole fruits.
The effects of Daylight Saving Time on Mental Health
According to a statement published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, both the entry and exit from DST have been linked to sleep disruption, mental disorders, and suicide.
For instance, 2017 research examined over 185,000 hospital encounters with depression. It showed that the change from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time increased the rate of hospital visits for depression by 11%. According to the research, this may be because people are upset over an earlier sunset.
According to Dr. Merrill, who also notes that the time change might worsen or increase cases of seasonal affective disorder, "this shift in time can provoke an episode of sadness or anxiety, especially for persons sensitive to being anxious or depressed" (SAD). The National Institute of Mental Health describes SAD as a seasonal form of sadness that might correspond with the shortening of the days.
This week's end of daylight-saving time may cause any sleep issues or mood changes you've experienced, so you should be on the watch for SAD. A kind of seasonal sadness that mainly manifests in the winter is known as a seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. People may feel a change in their circadian rhythms when the seasons change, and SAD has been related to brain imbalances brought on by less sunshine and shorter daylight hours. Find out more about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of SAD.
The good news is that there are two first-line SAD treatments: cognitive-behavioral therapy and light therapy, which have been demonstrated to be equally effective in reducing SAD symptoms. CBT is a treatment that has been modified to treat SAD patients. CBT is intended to assist individuals in learning to deal with it.
A local resource with 30+ years of experience where light boxes can be purchased is The Sunbox Company on 201 Broadway Street, Suite B, Frederick, MD 21701. www.sunbox.com.
Amazon.com is another resource where light boxes may be purchased.
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