Gloomy winter days can make some of us feel sadder than usual. This perfectly describes seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a mood-related condition that occurs when we get less daylight in the fall and winter months.
Winter-pattern SAD affects daily life in many different ways. For instance, you might sleep for hours, feel tired in the daytime, lose interest in your hobbies or daily activities, or struggle to concentrate.
If you experience the symptoms of SAD every winter, there are effective ways to cope with them. Read on to learn what helps with seasonal affective disorder.
Key Takeaways
- You can use several effective strategies to ease the symptoms of SAD.
- Possible solutions include talking to your loved ones, regulating your sleep schedule, increasing your body’s vitamin D levels, and getting peer support.
- Light therapy can also help with SAD. It uses special devices that mimic natural sunlight to restrict melatonin production and drive your body to make more serotonin.
- Remember to take care of your body as well. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and good hygiene can improve mental health.
Visit the Alaska Northern Lights blog for insightful articles about SAD’s impact on life.
Table of Contents
- Reach Out to Trusted Individuals
- Take Note of Your Symptoms
- Plan Ahead
- Try Light Therapy
- How Does Light Therapy Work for SAD?
- How to Choose a SAD Light
- Follow a Consistent Sleep Schedule
- Get More Vitamin D
- Find a Support Group
- Relax Your Body & Mind
- Prioritize Your Physical Health
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
Reach Out to Trusted Individuals
Talking to someone about your condition can be difficult, especially if some people around you don’t take mental health problems seriously. Still, even a short conversation with family or friends can make you feel better.
In addition to loved ones, you can contact mental health experts like therapists or seek more support from a helpline. The American Psychological Association’s crisis hotlines and resources page lists some important numbers to save on your phone.
- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
- Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio (for Spanish speakers): (888) 628-9454
- National Grad Crisis Line: (877) 472-3457
- National Suicide and Crisis Hotline
- Regular hotline: 988
- Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals can use their preferred relay service or dial 711 + 988.
- An online chat option is also available.
- Southern Ag Exchange (SAgE)’s Farmer Support Hotline: 833-381-SAGE
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline: (800) 662-4357
- Veterans Crisis Line
- Dial 988, then press 1 to speak to an operator.
- Text 838255.
- An online chat option is also available.
Get helpful resources about SAD from our website.
Take Note of Your Symptoms
Writing about your symptoms in a daily diary can also prove useful for managing them. Keep track of important details like when you experienced specific symptoms and what caused them. Your notes can help you recognize a common pattern on which your doctor can base their recommendations.
Other than your symptoms, try listing what works for you or affects your well-being. Writing down this information might help you manage your condition better, as SAD may occur at any time. In that case, you may have trouble recalling significant changes in your mood, appetite, weight, or daily activity.
Plan Ahead
Another effective way to manage your symptoms is to predict when they’ll occur and plan for those times. Your plan may involve:
- Rescheduling stressful activities to a later date
- Lining up relaxing activities to boost your mood
- Performing important tasks, such as buying and storing essential supplies, before your symptoms emerge
- Taking some time to rest or focus on your hobbies
- Preparing a self-care box with your favorite items or activities included
Try Light Therapy
SAD has been associated with the lack of daylight during the fall and winter.
Our bodies have a biological clock (the so-called “circadian rhythm”) that controls our sleep-wake cycle or the changes we experience every 24 hours. Gloomier days disrupt the circadian rhythm, causing notable symptoms of SAD.
Furthermore, the brain chemicals melatonin and serotonin play significant roles in the development of SAD. Melatonin, known as the “sleep hormone,” makes us sleepy and ready for bedtime. People with SAD produce more melatonin during the day, leading to fatigue and moodiness.
Serotonin, the “happy hormone,” regulates our mood. It’s suggested that less sunlight contributes to lower serotonin levels, which cause moodiness and other symptoms of SAD. Some patients undergo light therapy or phototherapy to get more serotonin and tell the body to produce less melatonin in the daytime.
How Does Light Therapy Work for SAD?
Light therapy helps ease the symptoms of SAD through artificial light from a special device. You sit in front of a light box or phototherapy lamp that simulates natural sunlight for a set amount of time.
Ideally, light therapy sessions last 20 to 30 minutes and are done every morning. We also recommend using a SAD light throughout the fall and winter to see results.
During phototherapy, “sensors” in your eyes detect the light from your SAD lamp and then tell your brain to produce less melatonin. This can reset your circadian rhythm and boost your mood and energy levels.
How to Choose a SAD Light
Light therapy for seasonal affective disorder typically uses light boxes rated at specific intensities. 10,000 lux is recommended for effective treatment, but some lamps emit weaker light. The lower the device’s intensity, the longer your sessions will be.
Additionally, check whether your chosen light box for seasonal affective disorder is UV free or has a UV light filter. UV rays can damage your skin or, in some cases, worsen skin-related conditions.
Other important factors in choosing an SAD light include type and size. If you’re unsure which device to use, ask your doctor for recommendations. Medical-grade light boxes, like the North Star 10,000, are excellent options.
Follow a Consistent Sleep Schedule
If your circadian rhythm needs rewiring, regulating your sleep schedule—that is, sleeping and waking up at the same time daily—can help.
Also, be careful not to sleep late and sleep in every weekend. Both can disrupt your weekly sleep schedule and cause problems come Monday morning.
Get More Vitamin D
Research has also associated SAD with vitamin D deficiency.
Our bodies absorb vitamin D whenever the sun shines on our skin. However, it’s been claimed that most individuals get less of this essential nutrient during the colder months. Chilly weather brings little to no sunlight, so we wear more clothes to warm up.
Spending time outside is a good way to increase your body’s vitamin D levels. Try walking around your neighborhood during lunch, even on cloudy or rainy days, to get some daylight to lift your mood.
You can also adjust your diet to include foods rich in vitamin D. These include small, fatty fish, egg yolks, and mushrooms.
Find a Support Group
A support group is comprised of people with shared experiences (in this case, other individuals diagnosed with SAD). Peer support works for some living with SAD, including those far away from their loved ones.
Dedicated programs in your area and online communities may offer peer support for SAD. Be sure to choose a support group with enough resources and a welcoming environment for its members. For online peer support, seek communities that encourage positive conversations and interact with them while protecting your sensitive information.
Relax Your Body & Mind
The challenges of living with SAD can be overwhelming. Thus, putting your body and mind at ease amidst these stressful times is important.
Here are a few helpful tips for a relaxed body and mind.
- Come up with effective stress management techniques. Meditation, breathing exercises, or hobbies can calm you down.
- Learn relaxation techniques to help you care for your well-being in high-pressure situations.
- Spend time in nature. This can encourage you to interact with your surroundings more.
Prioritize Your Physical Health
SAD can also affect physical health through changes in weight, appetite, and behavior. As the days grow gloomier during the fall and winter, take the following steps to combat these symptoms.
- Eat a healthy diet. While SAD makes it tough to maintain healthy eating habits and balanced blood sugar levels, managing both can improve your mood and energy levels.
- Stay physically active. Save time for your regular set of exercises, or do low-impact activities like yoga, swimming, or walking to boost your mood.
- Manage sleep problems. People with SAD tend to lose sleep or rest for hours. Medical care and effective natural remedies can help treat these issues.
- Maintain good hygiene. Hygiene is another challenging part of managing SAD. Still, do your best to maintain good hygiene by showering, dressing up, or performing other related tasks.
- Steer clear of drugs & alcohol. It’s tempting to turn to drugs and alcohol whenever you feel down, but both can worsen your condition. Instead, add productive activities to your routine to ease your symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions About SAD & Light Therapy
What causes seasonal affective disorder?
No one knows what causes SAD, but less sunlight and shorter days have been associated with chemical changes in the brain. Both are considered contributing factors to SAD.
Melatonin has also been connected to this condition. Gloomier, shorter days force the body to produce more of this hormone.
Who is affected by seasonal affective disorder?
SAD tends to develop in adults. However, an individual’s risk for the condition increases as they age.
SAD seldom affects children, whereas women are more likely to develop it than men.
When does seasonal affective disorder occur?
SAD usually occurs during the fall and winter months, with symptoms subsiding once spring comes.
Conversely, some people are diagnosed with summer-pattern SAD or summer depression. They experience symptoms in late spring to early summer.
How is seasonal affective disorder diagnosed?
SAD can be diagnosed through a psychological assessment and physical exam. Your doctor will base their diagnosis on whether:
- You’ve experienced symptoms during the same seasons for two years or more.
- Your periods of depression are followed by periods without depression.
- Other factors are causing seasonal changes in your mood.
Are light therapy lamps safe?
Yes, light therapy lamps are safe. Still, they should be used properly and pose significant health risks for people with certain conditions.
Some patients have experienced side effects such as mild headaches, dizziness, and irritability during light therapy sessions. These symptoms should ease within several days. Otherwise, stop treatment and talk to your doctor.
Conclusion
When things seem unbearable in the cold, gloomy winter, effective strategies for SAD can lighten the load. Knowing how to handle seasonal depression is crucial to protecting your well-being during the season.
Related Articles
- Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder
- 10,000 Lux for Light Therapy: What Does It Mean?
- When To Start Light Therapy
- How To Use Your Light Box
Order medical-grade light boxes for SAD from Alaska Northern Lights today.