SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) – Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
Both animals and humans react to the changing seasons with changes in mood, metabolism and behaviour. Many people dislike the winter months due to shortened days and find they eat and sleep more than usual. This is commonly referred to as ‘winter blues’. Symptoms can be very mild in some, but for others they can be severe enough to disrupt their lives and to cause considerable distress. It is those people who are suffering from SAD.
Symptoms tend to occur between September and April, but are at their worst in the darkest months (mid-winter). Symptoms can include:
1. Sleep problems
2. Overeating
3. Depression, despair, misery, guilt, anxiety
4. Family / social problems
5. Lethargy
6. Physical symptoms – often joint pain, stomach problems, lowered resistance to infection
7. Behavioral problems
The standard figure says that around 2% of people in Northern Europe suffer badly, with many more (10%) putting up with milder symptoms (sub-syndromal SAD or winter blues). Across the world the incidence increases with distance from the equator, except where there is snow on the ground, when it becomes less common. More women than men are diagnosed as having SAD. Children and adolescents are also vulnerable.
The problem stems from the lack of bright light in winter. Researchers have proved that bright light makes a difference to the brain chemistry but why some people suffer and others don’t is not clear.
Nerve centres in our brain controlling our daily rhythms and moods are stimulated by the amount of light entering the eyes. As night falls, the pineal gland starts to produce a substance called melatonin that tells our body clock it’s night time; bright light at daybreak is the signal for the gland to stop producing this melatonin. But on dull winter days, especially indoors, not enough light is received to trigger this waking up process. Light is also linked to serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain. This makes sense because low serotonin levels can cause depression and if you’re depressed it can be difficult to concentrate and complete what would normally be simple tasks. Evidence has shown that serotonin levels increase with exposure to bright light – SSRI drugs such as Prozac have the same effect.
As the cause is lack of bright light, the treatment is to be in bright light every day. Going on holiday to a brightly-lit climate will relieve symptoms but this is a very expensive option. Alternatively, you can simply use a bright light every day. The preferred level of light is about as bright as a spring morning on a clear day (daylight) and for most people sitting in front of a light like this for around 30 minutes a day will be sufficient to alleviate the symptoms. You don’t have to stare at the light, just be around the light fulfilling task during the day so that the light meets your eyes.
Changing all, or at least some, of the light bulbs in your home or work place to “daylight white”, which has a colour temperature of around 6500K, will help alleviate Seasonal Affective Disorder. Specialist, very high output, “SAD” lights are available but tend to be extremely expensive. However, a wide range of 6500K ‘Daylight White’ bulbs are available from lighting retailers and are a lot cheaper. Daylight bulbs are ideal for office applications and reception areas where a bright light is required as well as to help people suffering from S.A.D. Syndrome or “Winter Blues”.
For more information on Seasonal Affective Disorder Syndrome and a wide range of SAD day light bulbs visit ==> SAD Daylight Bulbs
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