As the season turns from Autumn to Winter, decreasing daylight hours and the drawing in of the days can have a darkening effect on our spirits, making us feel a little flatter than normal. The effect of this adjustment to a reduction in daylight hours is well known to many of us as SAD or Seasonal Adjustment Disorder. It is estimated that one in fifteen Irish people will suffer from this. Our latitude is often cited as the main reason we are so susceptible but also our location on the Atlantic fringes means we are one of the cloudiest countries in Europe with an annual average of 225 days of full or partial cloud cover.
SAD arrives in the Autumn as daylight hours decrease and generally lasts till the Spring whereupon we begin to feel brighter and more energetic. And we can experience summer SAD also where our moods are adversely affected by the increase in daylight hours, though there is far less understanding of this phenomenon.
SAD usually, though not always, begins in young adulthood and is four times more common in women than in men. It arises in individuals with a tendency towards depression or a history of depression and in those affected by a host of other disorders such as ADHD, anxiety disorders or panic disorders. It can sometimes run in families especially if there are individuals within the family with mental health issues.
SAD sufferers are shown to have reduced levels of the hormone serotonin, our happy hormone, which helps regulate our mood. Sunlight has been shown to help maintain normal serotonin levels, so shortening daylight hours and increased cloud cover are factors in its declining levels. Indeed, certain forms of depression have been treated effectively by the family of pharmaceuticals known as SSRIs (serotonin reuptake Inhibitors) as they inhibit the depletion of serotonin in vulnerable individuals. It is thought that it is the Vitamin D from sunlight that promotes our summer serotonin levels, keeping our mood bright and energy high. It is wise to keep a check on your winter Vitamin D levels should you find yourself suffering from a persistence of SAD symptoms, particularly if you are prone to depression or anxiety.
As our serotonin declines there is an inverse rise in the production of our sleep hormone melatonin. Ideally, we want these two hormones to dance together gracefully in order to regulate our circadian rhythm, our body’s night-day cycle. Naturally enough there might be some inelegant adjustment at the time of the season change but generally within a week or so they fall into step with each other. You might expect to experience a week or two of low mood and summer longing but then settle into a type of winter cosiness which embraces the comfort of home and hearth.
If however you are coping with SAD symptoms, the fluctuations in serotonin and melatonin levels do not settle into a rhythm but become out of step with each other, causing dysregulation, which causes mild to intense sleep disruption and adverse mood and behavioural changes.
So what are the main symptoms of SAD and what can be done to support yourself if you suffer from this condition? Unsurprisingly there is much overlap with the most common symptoms of depression, and such is the complex and multi-layered nature of depression that often the decreasing daylight can exacerbate existing depression.
Some of the main symptoms are: Persistent low mood; Loss of interest or pleasure in life; Irritability; Feelings of despair, guilt or worthlessness; Low self-esteem; Feeling tearful, stressed or anxious; Reduced libido; Avoidance of social activity; Oversleeping; Overeating, particularly carbohydrate rich or sweet and sugary foods; Lethargy and difficulty concentrating.
How to handle your SAD symptoms: Go outside: Firstly, probably the simplest and most essential thing anyone suffering from SAD must do is spend time outdoors. Even if it is raining or the cloud cover is dense, daily exposure to the outdoors for at least an hour in daylight appears to be a non-negotiable. If you work under lights, try to get out into natural daylight at your break-time or in the morning before you leave for work. The rise in our exposure to blue light through excessive screen usage is an added factor here, as blue light at night affects our melatonin production and disrupts our circadian rhythm further. To ensure best balance, sleep in totally darkened rooms with no blue light, in other words all devices out of our bedrooms. This is particularly important for our teens, as SAD and depression can be initiated in these hormonally volatile years. In winter the days are so short we must grab every opportunity to get outdoors. If at all possible, try to get out for a daily walk or jog, even if it’s short, it’s the daily dose that makes a difference. If all else fails and you can only exercise indoors, then do so – endorphins produced from exercise will have seriously mood-boosting capacity.
Light therapy: This has been a healing modality for SAD symptoms since the 1980s and is a fundamental support for treating winter SAD. Light boxes, as they are called, are about 20 times brighter than ordinary indoor lighting and it is recommended that you sit in front of them for about 30 minutes first thing in the morning. 10,000lux is the recommended brightness for SAD lamps. Sit no more than 50cm away from the light source but don’t look directly into the light. You could journal or eat your breakfast for the time spent. As an aside here, journalling is a wonderful tool to help break negative thought loops and clear out the stink. Most new generation SAD lamps have adjustable settings for brightness which is important. Do consult with your doctor if you have pre-existing eye conditions and certainly consult with them if you have bi-polar type II, as you’ll need to proceed with caution. These lamps are a life saver for many in darker months though for best efficacy start using them in October, before the days darken too much and make sure you use them consistently.
Talk therapy: This covers the spectrum from a therapy session with a counsellor to a chat with an empathetic friend but do talk, it takes away the sense of isolation that SAD can create.
Medication: Where symptoms are debilitating, it may be worth talking to your doctor about the SSRI family of anti-depressants. In fact this family of medications can often be combined successfully with light therapy as mentioned above.
Diet: Diet and exercise are of course your foundation for everything. Omega 3s are recommended, as is Vitamin D, though mega-dosing with Vitamin D is not advisable, as it can cause toxicity. So it is good to get your levels checked if you are not sure. Feed your gut! Did you know that 90 per cent of our serotonin is made in our gut, so we need to be mindful of our food choices. Foods that are rich in tryptophan are recommended, as tryptophan is an amino acid needed to produce serotonin. Consume, eggs, cheese, nuts, soy products, milk, turkey, fish and chicken.
Take the time to look after yourself this winter season and prioritise keeping your spirits up. To paraphrase Dylan Thomas, we may not need to rage against the dying of the light but do take a stand and turn your face to the light whenever and however it appears.
