Charles Dickens once wrote, “Nature gives to every season some beauties of its own. It is but a succession of changes so gentle and easy that we can scarcely mark their progress.” For at least 6 percent of the U.S. population, more women than men, the change of seasons from fall to winter is not so smooth but rather quite stormy.
These individuals are suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, which might have begun for them in their teen years or in adulthood. The American Academy of Family Physicians also says that 10 to 20 percent of Americans may suffer from a milder form of SAD called the “winter blues.” The majority of SAD cases appear during the late fall or early winter and go away during the sunnier days of spring and summer.
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are even some people who have opposite patterns that begin in the sunnier days of spring or summer, though this is not the more common form of SAD. In both cases, symptoms may start out mild and become more severe as the season progresses.
What then are the symptoms of SAD? According to acefitness.org “cravings for sweets and starchy foods, weight gain (weight loss is more common with other forms of depression), heavy feelings in the arms or legs (sluggish movements), depression and a conspicuous drop in energy to fatigue, oversleep (too little sleep is more common with other forms of depression), concentration difficulties, hopelessness and constant agitation and anxiety” are indicators of this seasonal form of depression.
Cathy Segarra, Sun City/Huntley Wellness Department nurse, adds two more symptoms: loss of interest in work or other activities and social withdrawal, according to the American Psychiatric Association.
The specific cause of SAD remains unknown. Decades ago, psychiatrist Dr. Alfred J. Levy found through his research that fall and winter’s shorter days, along with a later arriving dawn, disturbs normal sleep-wake cycles. In addition to our body’s internal clock regulator getting disturbed, reduced sunlight might also affect the lessening of serotonin production (a brain chemical that affects mood), leading to SAD’s form of depression.
Conversely, the increased darkness is thought to elevate the hormone melatonin, making us more prone to longer sleep periods and moody behavior. Therefore, people who live farther north away from the equator, with fewer hours of sunlight and longer hours of darkness, have a greater percentage of the majority of SAD cases than those living in farther south locations. It appears that Sun City’s “snowbirds” are traveling in the right direction!
Because SAD can in extreme cases lead to long-term depression, bipolar disorder, and even thoughts of suicide, it is important to take steps to keep your mood and motivation levels steady throughout the year. Seek help if you suspect that you or a loved one has this disorder. There is no test for SAD, although your physician can make a diagnosis by asking about your symptoms. Aside of a physical exam and blood work performed by health care providers to rule out other similar disorders, many forms of treatment may be helpful.
Next Edition: Fixing SAD for the holidays, part 2: Treatment is available
