Combating Seasonal Affective Disorder

Chilly weather entails peppermint mochas, making snow angels, and tons of wintery fun, however, the lack of sunlight due to colder weather can take a toll on people’s mood. If you’re constantly feeling gloomy, lethargic, and feeling like sleeping a little more than normal,then you might be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This is marked by depression, sleep problems, suicidal ideation, and other symptoms which you can access here: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651

Seasonal Affective Disorder isn’t just fall/winter based,but can also occur in the spring/summer-this is  a common misconception that people have about this disorder. However, it is always useful to see a psychiatrist (or a psychologist depending upon which treatment route you are pursuing) before assuming you have the disorder, because let’s be real so many of us googled the symptoms for a headache, on WebMD, only to discover that we had terminal brain cancer ;). I digress.

There are ways to combat SAD (talking solely about the fall/winter one here), by assessing your sleep intake. How much are you getting? What’s your circadian rhythm like? What about your serotonin (a chemical regulating mood)? What about Vitamin D intake?  What about melatonin (sleep pattern chemical)? These are the questions you should be asking yourself, as well as your healthcare professional. Additionally, you can also make some lifestyle changes, such as opening those blinds, exposing yourself to fun wintery activities, and maximizing social contact by spending time with friends (social isolation = bad).

Happy winter, folks!

• gloomy
• Seasonal Affective Disorder
• winter