5 TIPS FOR S.A.D
The winter seasons and shorter days are hard as it is. This time around we are also feeling everything happening in the world around us, so we want to really put some attention towards our own mental health. S.A.D. is more than just “winter blues.” The symptoms can be distressing and overwhelming and can interfere with daily functioning. About 5 percent of adults in the U.S. experience S.A.D. and it typically lasts about 40 percent of the year. Studies have also shown it is more common among women than men (Torres, 2020), so reach out to the girlies around you!
WHAT IS S.A.D
People with S.A.D may also have difficulty with the overproduction of melatonin (Lewy, Lefler, Emens, Bauer, 2006). Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland that responds to darkness by causing sleepiness (Miller 2005). As winter days become darker, melatonin production increases and, in response, those with SAD feel sleepy and lethargic. Although melatonin likely plays a role in impacting the symptoms of SAD, it cannot by itself account for these phenomena (Rosenthal, Sack, Jacobsen et al.,1986).
5 TIPS TO GET YOU THROUGH S.A.D
1. Keep a structured sleep routine by waking up and going to bed at the same time each day, including the weekends! Improving sleep habits is a key to gaining good overall health, but what many may not know is sunlight exposure directly helps individuals sleep. When you expose yourself to early morning light at the start of your day, not only does your mood improve but your body knows through that light exposure it is time to wake up which in turn improves your sleep cycles (Selcho, 2021)
2. Make sure you’re getting healthy nutrients throughout the day! Data shows that taking 1,500 IU of vitamin D in addition to taking an antidepressant was more effective than just antidepressants alone. Foods like fatty fish, eggs, fortified milk, and supplements are good sources of vitamin D (Azad, 2021). Increasing your exposure to sunlight is also helpful, but this is the exact issue in the winter! There's not enough sunlight!
3. Exercise at least 30 minutes per day, five days a week. Research shows physical activity has been found to reduce the risk of mortality, regardless of body weight, and regular aerobic exercise has been shown to boost mood and reduce depression (Drew, E. M., Hanson, B. L., & Huo, K, 2021).
4. Be mindful of your alcohol intake! Alcohol can worsen the symptoms of seasonal depression in some cases. As alcohol is a depressant, it can make you feel worse as opposed to better if you’re already feeling depressed or anxious about other things in your life (Freedom Center, 2023)!
5. Avoid blue light right before going to sleep. Night time lighting, specifically exposure to blue light, affects the circadian rhythm by inhibiting melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone that peaks at night to help us get a restful night’s sleep and regulates the circadian sleep phase so it is ideal not to distrub your body's natural production of melatonin by avoiding blue light at night (Dearmont, nd).
Getting through S.A.D ain't easy, and this year may feel even harder with everything going on in the world right now. All we hope is that we can give ourselves some grace, take care of ourselves as best we can, and get through the next few dark months together! And of course, if you are really going through it, please seek professional help!! There is no shame in asking for help. If you just need a friend or community to go to, join our DotCom community where we check in about things like this!!!
DISCLAIMER: THIS POST DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AS MEDICAL ADVICE. THIS POST IS NOT MEANT TO TREAT, CURE, PREVENT, OR DIAGNOSE CONDITIONS OR DISEASES; AND IS MEANT FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. AS ALWAYS, PLEASE CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TRYING ANY NEW TREATMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS.
Selcho, M. (2021, February 3). Sunlight, good sleep habits are the best medicine for Seasonal Depression. The Daily Universe. https://universe.byu.edu/2021/01/27/sunlight-good-sleep-habits-are-the-best-medicine-for-seasonal-depression/
Azad, A. (2021, October 22). Five ways to address seasonal affective disorder with diet and lifestyle. Institute for Integrative Nutrition. https://www.integrativenutrition.com/blog/five-ways-to-address-seasonal-affective-disorder-with-diet-and-lifestyle
Drew, E. M., Hanson, B. L., & Huo, K. (2021, December). Seasonal affective disorder and engagement in physical activities among adults in Alaska. International journal of circumpolar health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8079121/
Dearmont, C. (n.d.). How blue light affects mental health. Mental Health America. https://mhanational.org/blog/how-blue-light-affects-mental-health
B., N. (2023, June 12). Can alcohol affect the prevalence of depression?. The Freedom Center. https://www.thefreedomcenter.com/can-alcohol-affect-the-prevalence-of-seasonal-depression/
A. J. Lewy, B. J. Lefler, J. S. Emens, and V. K. Bauer, “The circadian basis of winter depression,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 103, no. 19, pp. 7414–7419, 2006.
A. L. Miller, “Epidemiology, etiology, and natural treatment of seasonal affective disorder,” Alternative Medicine Review, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 5–13, 2005.
N. E. Rosenthal, D. A. Sack, F. M. Jacobsen et al., “Melatonin in seasonal affective disorder and
