Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
If you've ever felt dragged down by the weather, or if the dark days of winter cause your usually sunny disposition to go gloomy, you may have experienced seasonal affective disorder, appropriately referred to as SAD. This condition is also known as the winter blahs and The Alaska Effect, a term that relates to that northern state's long, sunless days of winter.
This disorder has come into its own and been recognized for what it is — depression. There is also a kind of SAD that occurs in the summer, although this is rarer. Approximately half a million people in the United States are affected by SAD, and it appears to affect more women than men. Symptoms of SAD include the following:
Food cravings — especially for sweet or starchy foods
Weight gain
A heavy feeling in the arms or legs
No energy
Fatigue
Wanting to stay in bed and hide under the covers
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability and withdrawal from social situations
Symptoms of summer SAD, discussed in the next section, include poor appetite (and corresponding weight loss) and difficulty sleeping.
Essential
Modern office buildings that have few windows or closed-in workspaces — such as a cubicle — can create symptoms of SAD. Even in the summer, extended periods of cloudy weather can trigger an attack.
Summer SAD
There is another form of SAD that operates during the summertime. Summer SAD is almost a mirror image of SAD and may be triggered by the heat. Those cravings for carbs, sleepiness, and weight gain that characterize regular SAD turn into lack of appetite, insomnia, and weight loss in summer SAD. Preferring the shades drawn and air conditioning on, as well as waiting for autumn, are symptoms of summer SAD.
Summer SAD is most common in the southern latitudes. It affects about one percent of the population, with young adult women being the most susceptible. It hasn't received the attention that regular SAD has, but it may be caused by the affect of heat on certain hormones.
Causes
SAD has been linked to a biochemical imbalance in the brain prompted by shorter daylight hours and a lack of sunlight in winter. Melatonin, a sleep-related hormone, steps up production in the dark. It may have a connection to SAD. When the days are shorter and darker, more melatonin is produced. The more melatonin in your system, the sleepier and more tired you will be! Also, the farther from the equator you live, the greater the likelihood you will experience SAD.
Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Fact
A new light treatment is an artificial dawn simulator. This is an electrical device attached to a bedside lamp. It is set to come on automatically, several hours before awakening. The dawn simulator starts with a very dim light and gradually increases to simulate a sunrise.
If you believe you may have SAD, and the symptoms are interfering with daily living, consult your physician, who can make the proper diagnosis. Once you've determined that SAD is the culprit, let the light shine in! Increased exposure to sunlight can improve symptoms of SAD. If you can afford a trip to the Bahamas, this would definitely be in order!
Light therapy — bright, white fluorescent light — frequently helps. The American Medical Association Essential Guide to Depression points out that although white fluorescent lights are used, they are about twenty times brighter than common household fluorescent lights. Some suggest that full-spectrum lights, which most closely imitate sunlight, are most helpful.
There are also specific medications, dietary changes, and stress management therapies for SAD. Your doctor may suggest light therapy, either with a light visor, which you wear, or a light box, which you sit down and bask in! Behavior modification therapy can also help.
