Seasonal Affective Disorder: Symptoms and Solutions

Seasonal affective disorder is an extremely common condition in the UK, however, it is something that you have probably never heard of before. So, what exactly is it?

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD’s for short, is a condition which affects us particularly through the winter months. However, it is a temporary condition that amends itself and ‘disappears’ by itself without the need of medical treatment etc. The condition itself consists of a few main factors, including things such as:

·      Persistent low mood

·      Loss of pleasure or interest in hobbies or day to day activities

·      Feelings of despair/ worthlessness

·      Irritability

·      Feeling lethargic/ sleepy during the day

·      Sleeping for longer/ finding it harder to wake up in mornings

·      Cravings

·      Difficulty concentrating

These symptoms may just seem generic but can have a detrimental impact on your day. With them affecting simple things such as even waking up in the morning to start your day. Although the condition itself is not fully understood by professionals yet, it is believed to be caused by the change in UV exposure, this is obviously a direct link to autumn and winter due to the shortened daylight hours and lack of overall sunlight during the day.

Credit: The Independant

The direct lack of sunlight can cause a part of the brain called the Hypothalamus to fault and stop completing its full cycle. Due to its cycle not being completed, it can affect various factors and hormones throughout our day:

·      The production of melatonin- this is the hormone that causes you to feel sleepy and help to sleep at night, hence why some people take melatonin tablets at night to help with their sleep patterns. Therefore, when the Hypothalamus stops functioning properly, more of this hormone is created, resulting in us feeling tired more than we usually would.

·      Production of serotonin- the condition causes lower levels of serotonin to be released which causes you to feel lower than you usually would, mimicking the likes of depression. this is because usually, the serotonin hormone affects our mood, appetite and sleep patterns, so when levels are lower it can entirely affect our whole system, making us lose our appetite and feel less productive than usual.

·      Bodies internal clock- the lack of sunlight can impact your entire body clock, throwing your whole system out of whack. This can affect or bring on effects of SAD’s due to the lower light levels in winter.

But how do we treat it?

Although there is no complete cure, there is ways you can manage the condition and limit its impact on your day to day lives. A simple solution that is available to everyone, no matter your walk of life, is to just simply talk to someone. Something as simple as talking to someone about your issues can help to lift and ease the pressure and stress places upon your shoulders and maybe even help you find comfort or similarity with the people you talk to, as they may be going through the same situation as you, but they may experience it or cope with it differently to yourself. This goes hand in hand with the theory of a problem shared, is a problem halved.

Another method which is available to everyone, is to try and limit/cut out your intake of carbs as these can act as a depressant on your body, making your entire body feel more lethargic which as we know can actually exacerbate the symptoms felt with SAD’s.

Credit: Health

A solution however which does cost, is to invest in a light box. A light box can be especially effective during winter months as it mimics the sunlight we would normally get during the spring/summer months. This can boost the amount of serotonin (happy hormone) released into our systems and reduce the amount of melatonin released. This can help you to feel relieved of the symptoms felt with SAD’s during winter months and make you feel better within day-to-day life.

For more help or guidance, you can reach out to people around you or seek help and guidance from places  such the NHS website or mental health organisations such as Mind UK, the Samaritans and various other organisations.