It’s no coincidence that the sad scenes in movies are often accompanied by grey, dreary days and thundering storms, while the happy ones are usually lit by bright sunshine, blooming gardens and endless summer nights.
The seasons really can affect our mood!
Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD as it’s often referred to) affects 35 per cent of Australians. But what is SAD? What are the symptoms? And what is the best treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder?
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that mostly affects individuals in the autumn and winter months, usually easing off in spring and summer. You might have heard of the ‘winter blues’, where your mood dips during the colder months. Individuals with SAD experience these blues on a more intense level.
Some people do experience a ‘reverse’ version where they have these symptoms in the summer months instead, but it’s not as common.
What causes Seasonal Affective Disorder?
It’s believed that Seasonal Affective Disorder is caused by a lack of light exposure during the short days of the cooler months, leading to the body producing less melatonin (which helps you sleep) and serotonin (which helps regulate your mood).
Certain demographics may also be more likely to be affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder than others. If you are young, female, live further from the equator (the centre line of the earth) or have a family history of depression, you may be at a higher risk of experiencing SAD.
What are the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder?
The symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder naturally vary from person to person, but usually they include things like:
- Feeling sad or down most of the day, nearly every day
- Having trouble sleeping or regularly oversleeping
- Low energy
- Difficulty concentrating
- Higher than normal anxiety
- Loss of interest in day-to-day activities.
Best treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder
SAD can be difficult to deal with, but there are some treatments to help manage your symptoms:
- Morning sun: Try to expose yourself to natural light as much as possible throughout the day. Something as ‘simple’ as getting out for a walk first thing in the morning can help boost your mood and relieve symptoms.
- Light therapy: If you don’t get much natural light where you live, SAD Lamps simulate daylight and can be really useful to boost serotonin on those darker days.
- Diet and exercise: Maintaining a healthy relationship with food and meeting nutritional needs is a great way to boost your endorphins. Bonus points if you can move your body outside and get some fresh air!
- Sleep: Sleep plays a massive (and often underestimated) part in our overall wellbeing. Maintain good sleep hygiene, such as avoiding screen time before bed, keeping the bedroom calm and quiet and sticking to the same wake-up time every day. This can help make good sleep more achievable.
- Doing things you love: As hard as it might be to get started when you’re not feeling very well, engaging in your favourite hobbies is a great way to distract your brain, connect with friends and bring joy to your day. Make plans in advance, so you have something to look forward to.
- Medication: Vitamin D supplements may help, especially if you live in an area that doesn’t get much natural daylight. In more serious or prolonged cases, medication like antidepressants can be prescribed to help relieve the symptoms.
If you’re experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Talking to your family, friends, and peers is a good way to ease some of the isolation that depressive symptoms bring. We also recommend talking to your doctor, as they will be able to work with you on putting a wellbeing plan in place.
