5 Effective Strategies for Beating Seasonal Affective Disorder
There is something magical about summer time. All the flowers and trees are bushy and blooming; the beach water is warm and seductive as if to pull you in to go swimming, and people seem transformed. Something seemed to have positively changed once summer began. Considering that people are organic beings and rely on nature's resources to clothe and feed us. Rely on nature's atmosphere to help us breathe. And depend on nature's highly changing climate; it’s no surprise, then, that changes in seasons, climates, weather, etc, have a big impact on our mental health, emotions, and mood.
Summertime brings along a lot of light and sun. And sunshine is essential for life, especially human life. Exposure to sunlight has numerous health benefits like —
Increased serotonin levels in the brain, aka happy chemical
Exposure to ultraviolet-B radiation in the sun's rays causes a person to produce vitamin D for stronger bones.
A moderate amount of sunlight can prevent cancer
Heals skin conditions
Helps break down cholesterol in the body
Improves sleep by producing melatonin
Improves muscle
Strengthens immunity
So what happens when we do not get enough sunlight? Perhaps if we stay in the dark house all day long or during late fall and winter seasons? Well, we risk getting affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. SAD is also known as winter depression or seasonal depression. We can also call it the "winter blues,” as symptoms usually occur in the fall and winter months when there is less sunlight. In the late fall, people can begin experiencing sadness, depression, and fatigue. Luckily, symptoms fade away in the spring. The most difficult time for people with SAD tends to be January and February, and symptoms seem to subside by spring time. It’s also more common among women than men.
Beating Seasonal Affective Disorder can be achieved by using talk therapy. Also known as Psychotherapy. The idea that talking about your thoughts and feelings can bring clarity and cause a positive change in your emotions. Other tools like better nutrition and light therapy can also be very effective.
In this article I am going to offer five excellent ways you can tackle Seasonal Affective Disorder and maintain a positive well-being despite the season. From maintaining a healthy diet with certain key vitamins, to utilizing talk and light therapy. So let's get into it.
Talk Therapy
Also known as Psychotherapy, talk therapy is used to treat various mental illnesses and emotional difficulties. Psychotherapy becomes especially effective when paired with medicine or other therapies. People using Psychotherapy talk about their troubling feelings, thoughts, and behavior to a professional. Psychotherapy can help eliminate or control troubling symptoms so the person can function better and can increase their well-being and healing. It’s especially important to pick the right therapist. Preferably one you connect with and someone you can trust. Sessions can either be long or short. It depends on your needs. According to research psychotherapy is very effective and about 75% who enter psychotherapy show some benefit from it. Numerous studies have identified that undergoing psychotherapy has a similar effect on the brain as taking medication.
To benefit, one needs to be open and honest. You also need to follow your agreed upon plan. Journaling afterwards and making it a habit is also an excellent way to make sure that your condition improves in the long run.
Light Therapy
As I mentioned at the top, sunshine is everything to a human being. Without it, our physical and mental health begin to deteriorate. Unfortunately, with shorter days and longer nights, which happen in northern and southern regions of the world, getting the needed amount of sunlight is hard or even impossible. That’s especially true if one works during the day or is stuck at home all day. In this case, using light therapy can be very beneficial and even essential for one's well-being.
Light therapy involves sitting in front of a light therapy box that emits a very bright light (and filters out harmful ultraviolet UV rays). Sessions should last for about 20 minutes a day, first thing in the morning. It’s a good idea to continue treatment all winter and possibly start in the late fall next year to prevent reoccurring symptoms. Most people see improvements from light therapy after only a week or two.
Healthy Diet
What we eat significantly impacts everything in our body. From the way we look to how much energy we have. Nutrition is like a messenger that sends messages to our cells to either be healthy or to get sick. Even poor genetics can be controlled by focusing on fresh, organic wholefoods. If you haven’t already done so, then please feel free to check out one of my articles on nutrition and mental health. It can be found here—What Impact Does Nutrition Have on Mental Health? People with depression often contribute to their symptoms by eating unhealthy foods. Foods that might feel like comfort foods end up backfiring. The reason being is because a lot of these foods not only lack the vitamins and nutrients that we can benefit from but also contribute to our blood sugar rising and falling rapidly. This vicious cycle not only increases our appetite but also makes us feel moody, guilty, and irritable. A healthy diet that's filled with certain vitamins and minerals can help us stay happier while easing or even eliminating depression during the winter. Here are some amazing foods to help you feel better —
Avocados — avocados are natural hormone balancers filled with healthy and very beneficial fats and vitamins that help our brain make the right chemicals to feel great.
Grapes — filled with antioxidants, flavonoids, that have been known to positively impact mood.
Shiitake Mushrooms — Filled with B6 vitamins which impact the production of serotonin and neurotransmitters. All associated with increased mood and decreased stress levels. B6 vitamins found in these mushrooms and some other foods have been proven to treat depression.
Raw Nuts — nuts are full of serotonin that are in short supply when someone's depressed.
Wild-caught salmon — excellent for your overall health and is amazing for your brain. It’s filled with B12 vitamin, which is a crucial vitamin for warding off depression and staying mentally healthy. Salmon is also packed with mood-stabilizing essential amino acids.
Norwegian fish oil supplements
So before jumping to conclusions, assess your diet and then make some changes if you feel that is needed. You’ll be surprised at the positive outcome.
Exercise
People with SAD often experience a deficiency in serotonin. Fresh air and exercise can change that. Moderate exercise will not only help you shape-up but will also help boost your mood. By boosting serotonin through exercising, you experienced improved sleep, better mood, and a more manageable appetite. Exercise also reduces immune system chemicals which can make depression worse. Exercise also increases endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. According to research people who exercise often have fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression than those who don’t.
From personal experience this is absolutely the case and I find that I always feel better after getting a great workout in and even just going for a walk outside. In fact, when I was depressed in the past I used exercise instead of medicine and it was a life saver and worked every time. That’s why I highly recommend trying this method before resorting to antidepressants.
Antidepressants
When all else fails, then you can try antidepressants. You can also try psychotherapy and use antidepressants. Or go all out and try all five methods that I mentioned above. Just be aware of some icky side-effects when taking antidepressants. Many antidepressants cause sexual side-effects. Meaning your sex drive and your ability to reach orgasms will be negatively affected. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI's) are more likely to cause sexual side effects than other antidepressants are. You might also experience weight gain, nausea, insomnia, dry mouth, anxiety, agitation, etc. Addiction might also become a problem in the long run. Although antidepressants are not known to be considered addictive, many users who stop taking antidepressants report side effects that are similar to a drug withdrawal.
To Conclude
Seasonal Affective Disorder can be diminished or completely eliminated by trying these five strategies. The first is trying to talk therapy, which is also known as Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy allows you to talk with a trusted professional and brings a greater awareness to your thoughts, feelings, moods, and behavior. Next we have light therapy which exposes you to the same light that comes from the sun minus the harmful UV ultraviolet rays. This method can boost your mood within a few weeks. Another natural method to try is to eat certain foods like avocado and salmon and to try exercising. And finally, antidepressants might be needed in order to fight the Seasonal Affective Disorder.