Ideas for Managing Seasonal Affective Disorder

Now that daylight saving time has ended and the days are getting shorter, you may be struggling to keep an optimistic attitude. If you find yourself dreading those premature sunsets and long nights, you’re not alone – you may have a condition called seasonal affective disorder.

What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Seasonal affective disorder, aptly abbreviated SAD, is more common than you might realize. According to the Cleveland Clinic, approximately half a million people in the U.S. live with the so-called “winter blues.”

While experts don’t know the exact reason this condition occurs, it’s not a stretch to see the connection between a lack of sunlight and mood disorders. Having less available sunlight can shift the body’s circadian rhythms and disrupt the transmission of neurotransmitters – brain chemicals such as serotonin and melatonin that play a role in regulating your mood and your sleep cycle.

Recognizing SAD Symptoms

SAD sufferers share many of the common indicators of depression, such as sadness, withdrawal from your social life and an overall lack of interest in activities you normally enjoy. If you have SAD, you may also find yourself having trouble concentrating and feeling extreme fatigue, even if you’ve gotten the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep.

Tips for Treating SAD

If SAD is making you feel lethargic and unmotivated to participate in your normal daily routine, you may be relieved to learn there are some all-natural ways to treat SAD and help get you back on track.

1. Try Light Therapy

At-home light therapy lamps or boxes emit bright light that imitates sunshine. If you have SAD, you can sit in front of this lamp for about half an hour per day, usually when you first get up in the morning. Doing this will help regulate your circadian rhythms and suppress your brain’s release of melatonin, helping you feel more awake and alert.

2. Go to a Doctor

If the world seems grayer and less enjoyable in the fall and winter, a doctor can evaluate your symptoms and ask you questions to determine if you are living with seasonal depression. If your screening indicates you do have SAD, seeing a therapist to talk through your feelings can be constructive.

3. Use Essential Oils

You may already know how beneficial aromatherapy can be as part of your self-care routine. Essential oils can act on the part of your brain that regulates your mood and your body clock. Choose your essential oils wisely. For example, if you’re feeling sluggish and having trouble concentrating, peppermint oil can help perk you up. In contrast, use soothing oils like lavender to help you wind down before bedtime.

4. Work up a Sweat

Exercise is just as useful for banishing the symptoms of SAD as it is for other forms of depression. Getting your heart pumping can also help combat the weight gain that often accompanies seasonal depression. Outdoor exercise is ideal because it helps you get natural sunlight, but if it’s raining or snowing and you can’t get outside, do your workout inside next to a window.

Re-Balance Your Mood

Mood disorders like SAD are especially risky for people in addiction recovery because feelings like sadness and loneliness are often powerful relapse triggers. Experiment with one or more of these methods to regain your equilibrium, and try to keep a positive outlook – come Dec. 22, the days will gradually start getting longer again.

If you need help turning your life around, contact our team at Complete Harmony. We offer holistic healing as an alternative to traditional 12-step approaches, and we are available to speak with you about your needs 24/7.

How Much Do You Know About SAD?

Seasonal affective disorder, aptly deemed SAD, impacts half a million Americans per year – and like other forms of mood disorders, you’re highly susceptible if you have an addiction to drugs or alcohol. 

SAD is tied to the change of the seasons and is most often experience during the fall and winter months, when people become plagued by feelings of depression, irritability, and fatigue. It’s more than feeling gloomy on a cold, wet day or feeling a big letdown after the holiday season, however.  It impacts your family life and social life as well as your job, hobbies, and overall wellbeing. 

Here are a few more facts you should know about SAD:

1. SAD is linked to sunlight, not a drop in temperature. A decrease in sunlight has been found to have an impact on the production of melatonin, a chemical in your body known for regulating mood and sleep. 

2. Being a female increases your risk. Studies show that roughly 60 percent to 90 percent of those diagnosed with SAD are females, with the highest risk being among 15 to 55 year olds. 

3. Symptoms differ from depression. There are telltale symptoms, which may be more common in SAD than in other forms of depression, including changes in appetite and sleep, cravings for carbohydrates, and weight gain 

4. You’re only diagnosed with SAD after having symptoms for at least two years in a row. In addition, the SAD episodes must last more than two weeks and outnumber the non-seasonal depressive episodes in one’s lifetime.

5. Since SAD typically happens the same time each year, you can take steps to prevent and/or reduce the symptoms. This includes spending more time outdoors and increasing the light in your home, exercising daily (for at least 30 minutes), journaling, and practicing such stress management techniques as meditation. In addition, light therapy seems to be the gold standard when it comes to treatment, helping 50 to 80 percent of patients with SAD.

Help for Depression and Addiction
Are you suffering from SAD and addiction? Complete Harmony is a CARF-accredited facility offering integrated therapeutic, holistic, and medical support for clients dealing with co-existing addiction and mental illness. To learn more, call today: 866-930-4673.