SAD stands for seasonal affective disorder, a form of temporary depression that tends to occur in the fall and winter when the days are shorter and there’s less light.
But SAD is more than just the “winter blues.” Like major depression, SAD can cause serious symptoms. And also like major depression, SAD can be treated.
Symptoms
- Feelings of sadness or a depressed mood
- Sleep problems, oversleeping and insomnia
- Lethargy
- Overeating/ undereating
- Irritability
- Feeling down and unsociable
- Trouble concentrating or making decisions
- Thoughts of death or suicide, or attempted suicide
- Increased restlessness, or slowed movements and speech
The N.H.S recommends the following ways to manage S.A.D
Keep Active
Research has shown that a daily one-hour walk in the middle of the day could be as helpful as light treatment for coping with the winter blues.
Get outside
Go outdoors in natural daylight as much as possible, especially at midday and on brighter days. Inside your home, choose pale colours that reflect light from outside, and sit near windows whenever you can.
Keep warm
If your symptoms are so bad that you can’t live a normal life, see your GP for medical help. Being cold makes you more depressed. It’s also been shown that staying warm can reduce the winter blues by half.
Keep warm with hot drinks and hot food. Wear warm clothes and shoes, and aim to keep your home between 18C and 21C (or 64F and 70F degrees).
Eat healthily
A healthy diet will boost your mood, give you more energy and stop you from putting on weight over winter. Balance your craving for carbohydrates, such as pasta and potatoes, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.
See light
Some people find light therapy effective for seasonal depression.
This can be purchased online however, its important to check their characteristics, and consulting you GP if you have been advised against one.
- Get the right light: Your light box should have a 10,000 lux exposure. Lux is a measure of light intensity. (A bright sunny day is 50,000 lux or greater.)
- Avoid staring at the light: Keep the box just off to the side and about a foot away.
- Take your time: You should absorb light from your lamp for about a half hour a day. You can get your 30 minutes over several sittings.
- Start in the morning: Try to get in at least some light before 10 a.m.
Take up a new hobby
Keeping your mind active with a new interest seems to ward off symptoms of SAD. Regardless of the hobby the important thing is that you have something to look forward to and concentrate on.
See your friends and family
It’s been shown that socialising is good for your mental health and helps ward off the winter blues. Make an effort to keep in touch with people you care about and accept any invitations you get to social events, even if you only go for a little while.
Talk it through
Talking treatments such as counselling, psychotherapy or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help you cope with symptoms. See your GP for information on what’s available locally on the NHS and privately
Join a support group
Think about joining a support group. Sharing your experience with others who know what it’s like to have SAD is very therapeutic and can make your symptoms more bearable.
SADA is the UK’s only registered charity dedicated to SAD. It costs £20 (£10 for concessions) to join, and you’ll receive an information pack, regular newsletters, discounts on products such as light boxes, and contacts for telephone support.
Seek help
If your symptoms are so bad that you can’t live a normal life, see your GP for medical help.