Written by Kara Morris
HealthDay reporter
Monday, November 7, 2022 (HealthDay News) — As daylight hours shrink, people’s moods in the tank could be ending.
Rest assured, you are not alone. It’s seasonal affective disorder season. This is the depression, fatigue, and withdrawal that short days and long nights often bring.
Seasonal mood change can come in many different shapes and forms,” said Dr. Dorothy Seit, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.
“It could be a clinical diagnosis of depression, which we call SAD, but some people have a milder case,” Seit said. “A clinical diagnosis means it’s very severe; it affects people throughout the day for several weeks and can affect their performance. In milder cases, People can feel a little gloomy, but they can move on. However, the performance will seem a little more difficult.”
Besides feeling lethargic, people may be hungrier, craving carbohydrates, eat more and gain weight. They may also feel less motivated and find less pleasure in activities.
“This is a form of depression that goes naturally; it begins every fall and winter and turns every spring and summer,” Set said in a Northwestern Medicine press release.
The main treatment for seasonal affective disorder is to start the day with bright light therapy. Sitting is recommended to use a unit that produces 10,000 lux of white light for use in the 30 minutes after waking up.
She noted, “The treatment provides a lift in mood, improves a person’s performance and may completely resolve their symptoms. It is even effective in cases of non-seasonal depression, depression during pregnancy and in some people with bipolar depression.”
Sitting emphasized that it is important to use bright light under the supervision of a physician or physician. He or she can help spot any side effects or problems that arise, and discuss alternatives if necessary.
“Sunlight (sunlight) is the primary regulator that provides a signal to our bodies’ circadian rhythms,” Set said. “Not too much exposure to light can affect this. Bright light therapy is used in a way that amplifies our circadian rhythms, which seems to boost our mood. Timing the light so that exposure to light first thing in the morning may have a greater effect of regulating our rhythms. We’re still trying.” To fully understand how this mechanism works.”
People can also combat the winter blues by staying active. This could include a walk with the family or exploring nature. It could be practicing or learning a new skill or visiting a museum.
It is also important to maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule. The duration of the nap should be only 20-30 minutes, so do not oversleep, sitting is recommended.
more information
The US National Institute of Mental Health has more on seasonal affective disorder.
Source: Northwestern Medicine, press release, November 4, 2022
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