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Tweet Hi everyone! I hope that your SAD or Winter Blues symptoms are starting to ease now with the longer days and the sunnier weather we’ve been enjoying recently? Have you been experiencing any hypomania? I have been so busy … Continue reading
Go on… Let it out.
If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or Winter Blues, then you’ll probably know all-too-well that tearful feeling that can inexplicably creep up on you. You ask yourself the question, ‘why do I feel like crying?’ and your brain very helpfully starts trying to generate some answers for you. Except it isn’t always very helpful. It starts to ping ideas to you and can drag you into a spinning vortex of everything that is not perfect in your life. In this mindset, it probably throws a few spiteful accusations at you too for good measure.
In this place, you have two main options: give in to it and have a good old cry or try to stem the flow by distracting yourself, putting the tears off to be released later if you feel the need.
There are times when we all need a good cry; it just seems like it has to come out. Despite being something that is universal and uniquely human, crying emotional tears continues to baffle scientists and psychologists. Most seem to agree that it’s beneficial, releasing a build-up of stress hormones and allowing others to be released into your body, providing a sense of calm.
You might find these two articles interesting:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hide-and-seek/201208/why-crying-is-good-you
But what about when it’s inconvenient, you’d feel too embarrassed, you know it doesn’t help you feel better, or you’re simply sick of crying? An old friend of mine, who’s a master Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner and hypnotherapist (among many other hats she wears), gave me some good tips on how to stop crying once, which I thought I’d share with you:
Chew gum or suck on a boiled sweet – it’s really hard to cry when you’re doing this; honestly, try it!After doing any of these, quickly do something distracting – put a load of washing in or tackle your housework, grab your purse and take yourself for a brisk walk and a soothing hot chocolate, play with a pet… I found these other great suggestions too, which include watching a funny video, eating something hot or cold and having a nap. 
As for my way of coping; I do a bit of both – in fact, I’m indulging in some therapy right here! 
(please forgive my self-indulgence, but I do hope this post will be as helpful to you reading it as it’s been for me writing it!). If I’m alone then I’ll give in to the tears and let them flow, which is how I started this post, with black runways blurring my face, mascara mixing with salt water to create an inky, spidery drawing. I’ve washed it all off now – don’t worry, I’m not sitting here looking like Morticia Addams after being caught in a rain storm!!
I tried at first to fight the tears and then gave in. I won’t go into why I was crying, but unlike the times when I’m not managing my SAD symptoms very well, or I’m simply hormonal and aren’t sure why I’m tearful, I understood why and I had good reason to be tonight, so I indulged it. And then I turned to distraction. I was meant to be doing some work on my assignments for a course I started this January, but I felt like harnessing the feeling and writing this post instead. I find it very cathartic and absorbing; I definitely recommend it. Sometimes it just helps to get things out of your head and onto a page where you can see it more objectively.
That’s one of the principles behind Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). I touched on this in another post on managing SAD, and you can read more about it on Mind. When you’re feeling anxious, sad or angry it can really help. I don’t practice CBT every day; more when I’m really wound up or overwhelmed and need an outlet. It’s a highly recommended therapy for depression and anxiety. The very act of doing something productive can help you to calm down too.
Here’s how I do CBT:
Of course, another talking therapy – picking up the phone to a good friend or family member, or talking to a partner might help too. Sometimes the old maxim, ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ really is true!
If you find you’re crying a lot and you don’t feel like you’re able to shift your gloom, it might be worth having a word with your doctor. Certainly crying and feeling down and flat can be a symptom of SAD and other depressive conditions if they’re not being managed effectively, but if you feel like this for more than a couple of weeks, I really would recommend you try to get some help from your doctor.
Whichever methods you choose to cope when you get the ‘blahs’, whether it’s due to having SAD or not, I hope that this post might have given you a couple more ideas to try. Let me know if you do, and if they work for you? Thank you for reading and being part of my therapy tonight!!
What methods do you use to help you deal with the ‘blahs’? Are you an advocate of having a cry, or do you think it’s better to distract yourself?
Neens
Image credits:
Crying: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/113360
Funny man: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/941938
Writing, rain: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/349015
Hello there!
Well it’s been a glorious autumn day here in the North East of England. I hope you’re well and have been enjoying the sunshine too?
This morning saw the arrival of Jack Frost. For me, this has always served as a useful reminder each year: if I’m not already using my SAD light, then start using it daily from now on, as the mornings have become noticeably darker and the nights are drawing in.
So, I thought I’d check in with you and give you the same advice. While I’m about it, I’ve also got some other October thoughts and tips to share with you…
I know that this time of year can feel very bleak if you suffer from SAD or Winter Blues. I just hope that it helps you to know you’re not alone in feeling this way and that there is plenty of support out there for you. Given that we can’t change the seasons or the weather unfortunately, the best you can do is to be kind to yourself and try to manage your symptoms as effectively as possible. If you can aim to view autumn and winter more positively, so much the better (it’s hard, I know!) I hope that some of my tips above might help you a little.
What would you add to the above tips? How do you feel at this time of year? When do you normally start using your SAD light?
Speak soon and take care,
Neens
Hi again! Welcome to part four of what has turned out to be a very loooong post! I hope you’ve found them helpful so far though.
In the first part, I covered how to manage Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Winter Blues with specialist SAD lights (light therapy). The second part covered dawn simulators and investing in light therapy. The third part looked at medication and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). In this final part, I wanted to touch on some lifestyle factors and share with you a few of the day-to-day, less formal coping strategies that I use to jolly myself along. I really hope some of them will help you.
Daily routines are really important!
Okay, I’m putting my hand up – I’m a routine person! Anyone with me? From past experience, some of the best advice I can offer you is to try to establish strong daily routines, especially in autumn and winter. You’ll find it so much easier to be consistent with your light therapy (and therefore feel better) if you can link it to something else that’s already embedded in your daily routine.
I use my big light at home while I’m having breakfast, which I never skip! When I get to work I make a cup of tea while waiting for my computer to boot up and switch on my little LED light, that sits on my desk.
If you can find yourself a routine to get some natural light each day too, all the better. Obviously it has to work around your current commitments, but getting out during daylight hours every day, no matter what the weather, is really going to help you.
I know, I know – you probably don’t want to go out when it’s grey and raining! I’m the same, especially if I’ve no particular reason to go out. So, I ask my colleagues or boyfriend to make me go out on those days - and they do! :) Don’t be afraid to ask friends and colleagues to do this – they’ll probably be glad they can do something practical to help. Otherwise, I try to make sure I have people to meet and things I can do at lunchtime – it’s a great way to get through your ‘to-do’ list!
Diet
Exercise
Indulge yourself!
One of my favourite indulgences; curling up with a good book and hot chocolate!
Sometimes, it’s the little things in life that get you through the day! A hot bath after a hard day, listening to your favourite piece of music, curling up with a book… be kind to yourself. You deserve it!
Kit yourself out with thick woolly gloves, lovely soft scarves, cosy hats and toasty socks. You’ll feel loads better about going out in the cold and wet weather if you’re well wrapped up in clothes that make you feel good.
Try to hold on to your summer feeling as long as you can. Keep pampering yourself - use up that lovely sun oil spray, paint your nails a bright colour, wear skirts with woolly tights, bright floral tops with a cardi on top. Gentlemen – if you’re feeling a bit left out here, sorry! Maybe you can keep wearing lighter colours, using a lighter aftershave. Listen to music that reminds you of summer days…. if you’re stuck for inspiration try this Spotify playlist of weather-inspired songs What would you add?
You could also have a look at these earlier posts I wrote for some more little tips and tricks on keeping yourself feeling chipper when the weather’s gloomy, and when spring’s just around the corner, but not quite here yet.
I plan to cover diet and exercise in greater depth in other posts, so look out for these. As always, please let me know what you think?
What are your lifestyle tips for managing SAD? How do you persuade yourself to leave the house on a grey day? What support do you enlist from your family and friends?
Neens
Images:
Walk in the snow: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/642301
Hi again
This is part three of ‘How can I manage SAD symptoms?’ Part one covered bright light therapy, which is delivered via a SAD light and is highly recommended for treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Winter Blues. Part two covered dawn simulators and investing in light therapy. This third part looks at two of the other most commonly used methods that you may try instead of, or in addition to light therapy: medication and talking therapies. Finally, in the fourth post I’ll cover some lifestyle factors and share a couple of the less formal things I do to jolly myself along!
I consider myself to be very fortunate that I’m one of the 85% of people for whom light therapy is effective. But that’s not to say that I don’t try other things to help me manage my symptoms. Or that there’s no hope for you, if you find that light therapy doesn’t help you.
This is the part where I’m going to ask you to bear with me! I’m not a doctor or a psychologist. So I’m going to describe the medications and talking therapies that are commonly used in managing SAD symptoms, but I will point you in the direction of good quality information, rather than going into it in depth, as I don’t know enough about these treatments personally.
Medication
I’m aware that some people are very uncomfortable with the idea of taking antidepressant medications and sadly the stigma that people feel about depressive illness prevents many from seeking the help they need. If you have been to see your doctor and been diagnosed with SAD or Winter Blues, then I’d like to say a huge well done to you! It takes a lot of courage to take this first step.
While the ‘first line’ recommendation for SAD treatment is bright light therapy, your doctor may want you to try an antidepressant medication in addition to, or instead of light therapy.
I can’t go into this in much detail myself, as I find that light therapy works well enough for me and I haven’t needed to take medication. Mind’s page on antidepressants is very thorough and accessible and of course, your doctor can also answer any questions you might have too. For a more personal perspective on treating SAD with antidepressants, I would highly recommend chatting with people on the Lumie Forum. I’ve found that people are very open and honest about their experiences and are always happy to answer questions and share tips. There is also the facility on the site to send and receive private messages.
Some people find that a herbal remedy called St John’s Wort can help with feelings of mild depression and anxiety. Other products in a similar category are 5-HTP, which is a pre-cursor to serotonin production, and products like ‘Kalms’, ‘Stress-less’ and ‘Bach Rescue Remedy’, which aim to help with feelings of stress. These are available in health stores and chemists, and you might find they help. However, a note of caution: herbal remedies can interact with other prescribed and non-prescribed medications, including the contraceptive pill. They won’t be suitable for people with certain conditions, so always check with your doctor if you’re not sure.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and other talking therapies
CBT is a commonly used treatment for depressive conditions (including SAD) and has a lot of support in the medical community because it has strong scientific evidence to demonstrate its effectiveness. Some studies have found it to be as effective in treating depression as antidepressants.
Again, I’m going to refer you to a Mind page for more detail, but for now, this is how they define it:
CBT is a form of talking therapy that combines cognitive therapy and behaviour therapy. It focuses on how you think about the things going on in your life – your thoughts, images, beliefs and attitudes (your cognitive processes) – and how this impacts on the way you behave and deal with emotional problems. It then looks at how you can change any negative patterns of thinking or behaviour that may be causing you difficulties. In turn, this can change the way you feel.
Your doctor may offer you CBT through the NHS, which may be delivered face to face or over the telephone. You can also find private therapists on the It’s Good to Talk website, which is hosted by the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP).
Most services or therapists would want to have a chat with you before starting the therapy to ensure that CBT is the right approach for you. After outlining the main things you struggle with, they may recommend CBT or perhaps a blended CBT and person-centred counselling approach.
There are also some really good self-help resources available which you could use while you’re working with a CBT therapist, or you might want to just try giving it a go yourself. I’ve read and can recommend Overcoming Depression: A Self-help Guide to Using Cognitive Behavioural Techniques by Paul Gilbert and The Feeling Good Handbook by David D. Burns, M.D.
To be completely honest, I’ve read these books and understood the principles. I’ve even completed some of the exercises and I do find it helpful when my brain’s in a twist, to get my thoughts out on paper so they can be challenged. But I’m not strict enough with myself in applying the techniques day-to-day. As with any therapy, only you can do the work, and you’ll get out what you put in.
Of course, sometimes it can also help just to talk to other people who live with this condition and understand where you’re coming from. I hope that you might take some comfort from looking around this site, perhaps adding your thoughts and questions. The Lumie Forum is great too. And don’t discount talking to your family, friends and colleagues – they could be a great source of support if you are willing to share with them how you’re feeling and why.
For some less formal coping strategies, take a look at the final part of this post – I hope you’re finding this series helpful.
Neens
Image credits:
Softgel capsule: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/635810
Hi again!
This is part two of ‘How can I manage SAD symptoms’. Part one covered the main kind of light therapy that is recommended for treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Winter Blues – bright light therapy, which is delivered by a SAD light.
This second part is about another type of light therapy – dawn simulators. I’ve also discussed making the decision to invest in light therapy here. In part three, I’ll talk about medication and talking therapies. Then in part four, we’ll take a look at some other management strategies that I hope you’ll find helpful.
Dawn Simulators
These aren’t the best photos (I’m sure Lumie will want to sue me for these!), but this is my faithful old dawn simulator, which I’ve had for seven years and counting!
I use it every day, even in summer because it’s still lovely as a bedside reading light and an alarm clock.
As you can see, a dawn simulator’s purpose is to prepare your body for waking up by gradually raising the light level in your room. The artificial sunrise provides a cue for your body to reduce production of the sleep hormone melatonin and to start gradually increasing the production of cortisol, which gives you some ‘get-up-and-go’. You might find my earlier post, ‘Why do we suffer from SAD?’ and Lumie’s page on dawn simulators interesting too.
Dawn simulators don’t reach the same light intensity as a SAD light, so although they’re great for helping you to wake up in a more natural way, they won’t treat all of your SAD symptoms.
I’m not going to tell you that I leap out of bed in the depths of winter à la Mary Poppins. What I will say, is that it is a really lovely way to wake up, feeling like you’re ready to be awake. I recommend dawn simulators to absolutely everyone, regardless of whether they suffer from SAD or not.
I honestly couldn’t go back to a traditional alarm clock now. Being shocked out of sleep in the pitch black by a wailing alarm, feeling disgruntled and stressed, before I’ve even started the day – no thanks!
I have a basic model, with fixed duration sunrise, sunset and alarm features. For the sunrise, you simply set your alarm for the time you want to get up. So if you set the alarm for 6.30am, it will come on very dimly at 6.00am, and then gradually brighten over 30 minutes. There’s a back-up beeper for peace of mind, but I usually wake a moment before it goes off. When it does, it’s not a shock because my body’s already awake – if that makes sense? The sunset is nice too, allowing me to wind down and the room to gradually darken as I drop off to sleep. Zzzzzz
More expensive models allow you to vary the sunrise/sunset duration, may have radio, soothing sounds, snooze and security facilities, etc. It just depends what you want and what your budget is. Lumie’s basic model is around £60. There are other manufacturers, but Lumie are the original specialists in light therapy, and the manufacturers of my product, so I can only recommend them.
Investing in light therapy
I appreciate that paying around £100 for a SAD light and another £60 for a dawn simulator seems like a lot. Personally, I would pay many times this, for the huge difference that light therapy has made to my quality of life in autumn and winter – and in fact, this summer! I was curious what this worked out at per day, so I’ve done some very rough calculations:
At £170 in total, my big lamp, plus my LED light, have cost me about £0.10 per day. This is based on using them daily for six months over nine years.
At £60 for my dawn simulator, used every day for eight years, I’ve paid about £0.02 per day!
One of the main concerns when deciding whether to buy a SAD light or dawn simulator is whether they’ll work for you. If you don’t want to buy outright, you can hire SAD lights and dawn simulators, from e.g. the SAD Shop. Or, you could buy a product direct from a manufacturer, who may give you a money-back guarantee. Lumie give you 30 days and Philips give you 28 days’ free home trial. Most people will notice their symptoms improve in around a week or two, so this would give you plenty of time to see if the products are helpful for you.
Given that light therapy is the first line of recommended treatment for SAD and Winter Blues, I really would encourage you to invest in at least a SAD light if you can. If light therapy works for you, you’ll be amazed by the difference it makes to your quality of life.
And if you find light therapy doesn’t work for you? Well then, firstly you have my sympathies. But there are other treatments you can try, such as medication and talking therapies like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - look out for more on these in part three.
What’s your experience with light therapy? Have you tried a dawn simulator? Have you any tips and tricks of your own to share?
Neens
Image credits:
Mary Poppins: http://www.thefancarpet.com/uploaded_assets/images/gallery/919/Mary_Poppins_10976_Medium.jpg
Coins in hand: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1269975
Good evening! Hope you’re well and have been enjoying the sunshine?
I’ve touched on how to manage symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and Winter Blues briefly in ‘Where to start’. As promised in that post, I’m working my way through the ‘What, Why, Who, Where, When and How’ of SAD in more detailed posts. So, this is the big ‘How’. “Finally” – I hear you say?!
This turned into a really long post, so I’ve split it into four parts, to make it more digestable – although they’re still long! I’ll add links at the end to the other parts as I post them. These posts are based on my own personal experience of living with SAD; I’ll signpost you to quality information available on the web if you want to do further reading.
So you’ve got a fairly good idea that you suffer from either SAD or Winter Blues – now what? How do you manage the symptoms so that you can get back to being you? Or a slightly more recognisable version of you, at least?
First the bad news, to get it over with: there is no one universal, this-will-definitely-work-for-you treatment for SAD or Winter Blues. You can’t permanently ‘treat’ these conditions in the traditional sense; unfortunately you can’t be cured of SAD. It is really about managing your symptoms with daily treatment when you feel you need it.
OK, so now that’s out of the way – the good news! According to the SAD Association, 85% of people will find some relief of their symptoms by using light therapy regularly, from the onset of symptoms (usually late September) until the time their symptoms normally disappear (for many, this is often late March/early April).
SAD Lights/Lamps are very bright lights that simulate the level of light you would get on a clear spring morning. They are highly recommended for managing SAD symptoms.
Light is measured in lux. A minimum of 2,500 lux output is recommended for treating SAD symptoms, but a brighter, 10,000 lux light will enable you to sit further away, or reduce your treatment time. The newer LED lights are often a lower intensity at 2,500 lux, but they contain more blue light, so can be as effective as a 10,000 lux light. Normal light bulbs, or even ‘daylight bulbs’, are not considered strong enough to treat SAD - 2,500 lux is roughly five times brighter than a well-lit office.
You can do other activities, like reading or watching TV while you’re having your light treatment; you don’t look into the light, it just needs to reach your eyes. How close you need to sit and for how long depends on the strength of your light and how severe your symptoms are. If you like to sit further away from your light, you’ll need a longer treatment time. The manufacturer of your light will give you an idea of typical treatment time; for example the light may be 10,000 lux and will take 30 minutes at 30cm (about arm’s length).
I now have two lights. I know – I’m greedy! My big old 7,000 lux one lives at home and was about £70. I’ve had it since I was diagnosed in 2003 and it’s from Tchibo, which is unfortunately no longer trading in the UK. It’s similar in style to Lumie’s Arabica. This light has served me very well; I have my breakfast and watch the news while sitting in front of it. However, I was finding that I didn’t have enough time to sit in front of it to receive a full treatment.
So last November, I invested in a Lumie LED SAD Light Plus (currently £99), which is made by Lumie for Boots. It’s similar to Lumie’s Zip, but it doesn’t have batteries or the timer and is a little cheaper. This light sits on my desk at work and is about the size and weight of a paperback novel. What’s great about this is that I can put it away in my desk drawer when it’s not in use, and if I happen to travel somewhere, I can easily take it with me.
Before I bought this light, I did consider how I’d feel about having it on my desk, with colleagues coming in to see me to discuss projects. I also wondered whether the bright light would bother my team. I needn’t have worried. Actually, the light’s quite targeted and I sit in a corner, so it’s no problem for my team. And when my other colleagues come to see me, some of them ask about the light, and I tell them what it’s for. Many of them are quite interested! Or if they’re not, they’re too polite to say so, and are told anyway – hehe!
You can also get light therapy in the form of a visor, so you can move around while receiving light therapy, but I’ve never used these. Also, a new kind of device, the Valkee Brain Stimulation Headset, was launched last year. I’ve never used this either, so if anyone has any feedback to share, I’d love to hear about your experiences.
You might need to play about a bit with light therapy before you find what works best for you. It’s really worth persevering for a little while though, trying different times of the day, different distances and length of treatment.
Most people will start to feel better (more energy, improved mood) within about two weeks, but if it takes longer than this for you, don’t worry! If you’re not finding the light therapy helpful, try calling the manufacturer for some advice. If you still find that light therapy doesn’t work for you, try not to lose hope; your doctor will be able to recommend other treatment strategies, some of which I’ll talk about in part three.
Try to be as consistent as you can with your light therapy – use your light every day in the months that you normally experience symptoms. This will help keep your serotonin levels on a more even keel and, together with a few other coping strategies, hopefully you’ll feel much more your normal self than in previous winters.
In spring and summer, a run of dull weather can bring your symptoms on again. Don’t worry – many people experience this! It would be so nice to be able to put your light away in a cupboard for six months. Unfortunately the UK’s spring and summer months seem to be becoming wetter and so it’s worth keeping your light within easy reach.
And of course, my final piece of advice about light therapy: try to get as much natural light as you can! I know it’s hard, but force yourself to go out each day – or get a friend or family member to give you a prod! Sit by windows if you can too – it all helps.
I hope that you will have found this post helpful, but as always, I welcome your feedback and comments. What’s your experience of light therapy? Have you tried the Valkee in-ear system; what did you think? Is there anything missing from this post that you’d like me to include?
The next part of this post looks at dawn simulators; they’re great little inventions that help get you out of your pit in the morning!
- Neens -
Image credits
Hands up: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/299658
Laurent: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/776380
So, hands up – who’s felt their Seasonal Affective Disorder - SAD – and Winter Blues/Winter Depression symptoms return in the last few weeks?
The papers are reporting today that we’ve had a month’s worth of rainfall in 24 hours; the wettest day of the year so far. Frankly, I wish the rain would pack its bags and get lost! Yep, I’m missing the sunshine…can you tell?! Having a daily dose of artificial sunshine from my SAD light isn’t really making up for it (especially because it’s spring and it should be sunny, dammit!) Last year my colleague, Lynda, coined the term ‘spring anticipation anti-climax’… I think that’s exactly what the country’s suffering from!
As I made my way home this evening in the rain, I thought about the things that I do, or try to focus on, to make myself feel better when the weather is what we British folk might call ‘mucky’. I thought I’d share them with you to see if they might help you feel better, too…
Things I like to do to make myself feel better:
Putting on cosy socks after being soaked.
Things I like to focus on:
When you suffer from SAD, light therapy is just one of the things you can do to manage your symptoms. Trying to adapt the way you think about the weather or darkness, treating your body with care during these conditions and a little self-indulgence can go a long way.
I’ve come to believe that if you listen to your body, it will let you know what it needs. If the darkness makes you feel like you could hibernate, sometimes it’s easiest to go with the flow and indulge that a little. Not too much, mind – you still need to get out into natural daylight and move your bones. But what I’m saying is that if you find yourself wanting more of those cosy nights in than you’d want in summer, it’s quite natural – please don’t beat yourself up about it!
Have you been struggling with the extreme change in the weather compared to the end of March? What do you do to help yourself feel better in gloomy weather?
Take care,
Neens
Image credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1204146
Hi folks
So, we’ve had the most glorious weather over the past week or so. I’ve been very fortunate to be off work, and I’ve made the most of it!
I woke up to a very different picture this morning, as I’m sure the whole country did. It’s no suprise; I knew the forecast. But goodness! What a difference. Dark grey clouds hang like an overhead press gang.
It’s a bit of a shock to the system after a week of wall-to-wall sunshine. If you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD, these shifts in the weather can have quite an affect on you. I know all-too-well how it feels: you think, ‘Yay! Winter’s done, sunny days are here, and I can say goodbye to SAD or Winter Blues symptoms for six months.’ Then some dull days go and spoil the fun.
This is why I recommend keeping your SAD light handy. It would be great to put it in the back of the cupboard until October, but unfortunately you might need to use it again. The longer daylight hours will hopefully be easing your symptoms now, and even on a dull day, a walk during the day will be beneficial. But please don’t struggle, thinking you ‘shouldn’t’ need your SAD light – if you feel the familiar symptoms reappearing, don’t ignore them.
Hopefully the sun will put his hat back on and come out to play again very soon. In the meantime, take care of yourself and please afford yourself the same understanding you’d show a friend.
- Neens –
Hi folks Finally, here is instalment number two of my ‘who, why, what, where, when and how’ of Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD - and Winter Blues. I’ll warn you – it’s a long one!
In this post I’ll be covering a couple of the accepted theories of why people get SAD and Winter Blues / Winter Depression. This is my own understanding, based on what I’ve read over the years and a little background reading I’ve done for this post. It’s taken me quite a while to write, as I keep changing my mind what to put in! I don’t want to overwhelm you with too much info, but wanted to give you enough too. As always, do let me know what you think?
Anyhoo… the first thing to say is that nobody seems to really know what causes SAD and Winter Blues! There’s a lot of theories, but it’s very likely that there’s a complex interplay of factors that will determine whether a particular individual develops SAD or not.
The most commonly held theory is that a lack of exposure to daylight in the late autumn to early spring months affects the brain’s production of the hormone melatonin and the neurotransmitter serotonin.
The body has an internal body clock, known as the circadian rhythm. It regulates sleep/wake cycles, appetite, digestion, mood and many other functions.
Before we learned to artificially light our homes, people went to bed when it became dark and woke when the sun rose. They also spent a lot more time outdoors and had more physical jobs.
The brain responds to decreased light by increasing production of the hormone melatonin, which signals to the body that it’s time to sleep. In the morning, when light reaches the eyes, melatonin levels begin to decrease and the hormone cortisol is released. This gives us the get-up-and-go that 
we need to start the day. In the depths of winter, when many of us need to get up while it’s still dark, the body hasn’t received the correct signals to wake up. This is why it can be a real wrench to get up and why you may feel shocked out of sleep by a traditional alarm clock – your body simply isn’t ready to be awake!
But the problem isn’t only to do with waking… with very dull days, your levels of melatonin can stay high throughout the day, leading to those feelings of lethargy and sleepiness that you might recognise all-too-well. Before I was diagnosed with SAD, I would return from college and want to go straight to bed – I couldn’t keep my eyes open!
The neurotransmitter, serotonin, is also thought to have a key role to play in SAD, as it appears to in other types of depression. Researchers have found that levels of serotonin can vary from day-to-day and across the year, with levels markedly lower in winter. People with lower levels of serotonin appear to be more likely to experience symptoms of depression, SAD, Winter Blues / Winter Depression and even PMS in women.
Reading about how to increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs (Dr. Simon N. Young, 2007), this theory makes sense to me. If you’re anything like me, in winter you’ll be less likely to go outside at lunchtime, or whenever (funnily enough, I don’t enjoy sitting in the freezing wind and rain as much as I enjoy reading a book in the sunshine in the summer! ). Often eating at my desk means I move my bones less, get less natural light and I’m probably eating stodge, too. I mean - who really fancies a salad in the middle of winter? Certainly not me!
Haha – yes, yes, I’m aware that I don’t always follow my own advice!
So, if light, exercise and a healthy diet are major natural ways of increasing serotonin production, then it would seem to follow that not doing/having these things may cause you to feel rubbish. At least, that’s how I’m understanding it!
As always, if you haven’t already, I’d recommend you have a look at the following excellent articles about SAD, which explain a bit more of the why in more medical terms than I have done:
NHS
Mind
If you’re interested in doing a bit more digging around into theory, here’s a few other theories that caught my eye:
People who suffer from SAD may have retinal sensitivity anomalies -
Evidence of a Biological Effect of Light Therapy on the Retina of Patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder - Marie-Pier Lavoie,Raymond W. Lam,Guylain Bouchard,Alexandre Sasseville,Marie-Claude Charron,Anne-Marie Gagné,Philippe Tremblay,Marie-Josée Filteau,Marc Hébert (2009), Biological Psychiatry, Elsevier
People who suffer from SAD have lower levels of cortisol production in winter -
Seasonal differences in the diurnal pattern of cortisol secretion in healthy participants and those with self-assessed seasonal affective disorder - Thorn, Lisa and Evans, Philip D. and Cannon, Anne and Hucklebridge, Frank and Clow, Angela (2011), Psychoneuroendocrinology
I’ve said to my mum and friends several times in the past that I bet there’s a correlation between babies born in spring and summer and high incidence of SAD… I should have put money on that, as it appears to be true! I can’t find the published article, but this is what was reported in the Daily Mail.
There’s a lot of debate still ongoing, though, as many of the theories don’t give absolute or satisfactory answers. So for example, suppressing melatonin doesn’t ‘cure’ SAD; anti-depressants don’t work for everybody; not everyone born in spring/summer suffers with SAD. It really does seem that individual differences can play a big part. So you may be more at risk of developing SAD if you or your family have a history of depression, if you’ve been under chronic stress, or sudden stress, such as bereavement. If you suffer from depression that isn’t seasonal, it can feel worse in the winter.
Having said that, there does seem to be strong evidence to support the theories surrounding melatonin and serotonin having a key role to play. Correspondingly, there’s also strong evidence to support light therapy. If you want to do some more reading still, have a look at Lumie’s page of research abstracts.
I hope that this will have been a helpful post for you. Do you think there’s anything I need to add? What other theories have you read?
Speak soon
- Neens -
Image credit
Alarm clock: http://www.sxc.hu/browse.phtml?f=download&id=1146532
Hi everyone Hope you’ve had a lovely Monday? I’ve been trying to write my ‘why’ of the ‘who, where, what, when, why and how of Seasonal Affective Disorder – SAD’, but it’s a toughy!
So, while I’m doing battle with that meaty issue, I thought I’d pop a quick post on with a few ideas on cheering yourself up if you’re finding these February swings in weather hard. I know how difficult they can be - just as you think it’s time to pack away your winter coats and turn the heating off, you find it’s back to the biting wind and grizzly skies!
Well, first thing’s first – spring is most definitely on its way (really, I promise you, it is! ) But if you’re using a SAD light, do keep using it daily. Even if you’ve been feeling better with the lengthening days, a dull day can make you feel like going back into hibernation! So hold your horses!
OK, so how about these things to put a spring in your step (cue big groan, I know!):
Get out in your garden or the local park and see all the flowers, trees and shrubs starting to bud. Take your camera and lose yourself for an hour! Or treat yourself to some cut tulips or daffs…
If you’ve a bit of energy, sew some seeds – anything you like. I’ve just bought a herb propagator kit – about £3 – and I’m looking forward to putting my hands in soil again These are just some of the little tricks I use to jolly myself along. I know they’re quite superficial things, but they honestly can make a difference to how you feel when you’re caught in the grip of SAD. I recommended the spring bulbs on one of the Lumie forum threads and some of the lovely ladies there are still saying how much seeing the bulbs blossom is helping to cheer them up.
If you give some of these tips a go, let me know how you get on? How’s February been for you? Do you feel better knowing that spring is near, or does it still feel a struggle? Do you have any tips to add?
Happy planting/pampering/photographing, etc!
- Neens -
Image credits:
Spring shoots: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/763369
Snowdrops: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1340915
Well, I promised you in ‘Where to start…‘ some longer, more detailed posts on the what, who, where, why, when and how of SAD and Winter Blues… and here’s the first of these posts. I hope you’ll find it helpful – do let me know, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
I already told you my Tigger and Eeyore analogy, but I have a couple more for you that I use when trying to explain to friends and colleagues what SAD is. Before I go into them, I’d like you to know that these are just my ways of thinking about SAD and my experience. I’d also encourage you to look at the SAD Association (SADA) page, or NHS page for a more medical explanation, if you haven’t already – I’m not trying to replace or replicate their information.
I find it helpful to think of SAD and Winter Blues as a scale, or continuum, and everyone has their place on it. On one side, you have people who experience no change to how they feel in winter compared with how they feel in summer. Then further along are those who feel a bit down and notice a change in their moods when winter comes round (Winter Blues). On the furthest point of the scale are people who suffer from SAD and will be significantly affected by the lack of daylight in the autumn and winter months. Don’t laugh at my amateur attempt with Paint, but this is what I mean!:
SAD is a type of depression, but it is different to other types of depression in that it has a definite seasonal pattern. Symptoms will appear in the autumn months and usually last until spring. But sometimes, if our lovely British climate gives us a long spell of rainy weather in summer, people can experience SAD symptoms in the summer months. Left un-managed, SAD can become debilitating to the same extent as any other type of depression.
image credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/822176
In terms of how SAD makes you feel, my favourite way to describe this is that ’I would quite like to hibernate, thank you very much!’ Like this little guy:
Like a hedgehog, before I learned to successfully manage my SAD symptoms, I really, really wanted to hibernate for the winter. I would’ve been quite happy to just sleep and for the world to leave me alone!
Like many people who suffer with SAD, I started noticing that I felt awful in winter around 17/18 years old. Typically onset of symptoms appears between 18-30 years old and is about twice as common in females as males. I was diagnosed with SAD at 21 after visiting my doctor in 2003.
I had all the classic symptoms: finding it hard to get up, get moving, concentrate. I would feel weepy and down and/or irritable for no reason. And I just wanted to sleep and eat – stodgy carbohydrates in particular! I remember my first year university flatmate laughing when she saw my food basket - filled with several different breads and potatoes and a token bit of chicken!
Looking back at those few winters I spent feeling like that, I can barely believe I felt so bad. I’m not really sure how I functioned to be honest, but I know I wasn’t a pleasant person to be around on some days!
I’m being really honest and open because I want you to know that you’re not alone in feeling this way. Or if you’re hoping to provide support to a family member or friend, then believe me, this is a serious condition and it’s not ‘all in the mind’. I want to help people understand the realities of suffering from SAD and Winter Blues and know that although there is no ‘cure’, you can manage the symptoms.
According to SADA 85% of people can successfully manage their symptoms using light therapy, which is how I manage mine. If light therapy doesn’t work for you, your doctor might recommend using anti-depressants and/or having some Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) sessions. If you think you have SAD or Winter Blues, I really do recommend you see your GP. I’m going to do a separate post on treatments, but if you want some info in the meantime, have a look at Lumie’s website. They’re specialists in light therapy.
I hope this post has given you some useful information about what SAD and Winter Blues are – but feel free to use the comments box below to ask any questions you might have.
- Neens -
