With the recent events of daylight savings time and the changing season, many people are beginning to experience the symptoms of SAD: seasonal affective disorder. Symptoms often are similar to anxiety and depression, and studies show it tends to affect women more than men. Feelings of helplessness, weakened health, and lack of social motivation may be experienced.
These can be extremely difficult feelings to persevere through, but it is completely understandable. Many chemical relationships with one’s environment and their brain are possible causes linked to this disorder. The dramatic decrease in sunlight exposure affects the hormones produced and vitamins received in the body. With shorter and darker days, melatonin production increases, a hormone that induces sleep. This contributes to the feelings of drowsiness and the lack of motivation during the darker months.
Diagnosis isn’t always clear. A medical history can be performed by a psychiatrist or other medical professional, as well as the analysis of the patient’s daily habits and mood. Some methods of improving one’s mood who is experiencing SAD include:
Increasing sunlight exposure to support the production of healthy hormones
Prescription antidepressants may be administered by a doctor to correct hormone imbalances
Exercise will produce the uplifting hormones such as serotonin and dopamine
Continue with sufficient eating habits
Not pushing oneself too much; it’s okay to have these feelings, take it slow as not to overstress and worsen symptoms
Although SAD is most commonly experienced in the fall and winter, some people may experience these symptoms in the summer. Opposite to the colder seasons, summer SAD is attributed to too much sunlight. This causes an extreme decrease in melatonin production, and leads this variation to affect those living in the south more than any other region.
Overall Seasonal Affective Disorder is a common experience caused by the cycling of the seasons; it's important to focus on the positive as much as possible and to seek professional help throughout this time.
By: Madison D.
“Seasonal Affective Disorder.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/seasonal-affective-disorder.
403 Forbidden. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-babble/201501/reverse-seasonal-affective-disorder-sad-in-the-summer.
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