Seasonal Affective Disorder

Let's face it, with the days getting ever shorter and the skies taking on a near enough permanent grey and lifeless colour... it's enough to test the mood of even the most optimistic person, let alone the rest of us.

However, for sufferers of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression, the change in weather as winter approaches has a far more negative impact on their frame of mind and general well-being.

This type of depression usually starts towards the end of autumn and continues until the spring. Because there is this time limit on symptoms, some sufferers have found that their condition is not taken seriously.

However, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a very real condition - a lack of sunlight causes sufferers to become irritable, anxious, lacking in energy and concentration, and tearful... without any obvious cause. It's thought that about nine million people are affected by seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in the UK, and 80 per cent of these are women aged 30 and above.

Fortunately, there are effective ways of overcoming seasonal affective disorder (SAD) that mean your mood needn't suffer or be totally governed by the weather.

A lack of sunshine can cause your body to go into hibernation mode
seasonal affective disorder (SAD) occurs due to a lack of sunlight. Normally, sunlight stimulates your brain to produce serotonin -- a chemical that helps make you feel alert and active.

By contrast, a lack of light blocks the production of serotonin and stimulates the production of melatonin instead. Melatonin causes you to feel drowsy and sleepy... effectively shutting your brain down in preparation for a good night's sleep.
Obviously, the amount of sunlight reaching your brain during the winter months is severely restricted, and this can make some people's brains think it's still night. This lowers serotonin levels and increases the production of melatonin, resulting in symptoms of depression.

When the days start getting longer again in the spring, serotonin levels increase as sunlight becomes more readily available, and the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) soon disappear.

Conventional drugs can have nasty side effects and be addictive
If you think you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), then it's important you see your doctor, as the symptoms are extremely similar to other forms of depression, such as reactive and endogenous depression, and may require a different treatment approach.

Reactive depression is a form of clinical depression, which happens as a result of a specific traumatic event, such as a death in the family, redundancy or financial worries. Endogenous depression is diagnosed when no obvious cause can be found, and is normally attributed to a chemical imbalance in the brain.

If you are diagnosed as having seasonal affective disorder (SAD), then your doctor is likely to prescribe antidepressants called Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac and Seroxat. They work by preventing the breakdown of serotonin in the brain and recycling existing supplies.

A problem with SSRI drugs is that they can take several weeks to work, and there are over 50 side effects associated with their use. Common side effects include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, dry mouth, anxiety and headaches. There has also been a lot of controversy lately regarding their use, particularly in terms of causing dependency.

Trick your mind into feeling happy with artificial light
One of the best treatment approaches for improving seasonal affective disorder (SAD) symptoms is through light therapy (Arch Gen Psychiatry 1998, 55(10): 890-896). This involves exposing yourself to light that radiates from special lamps.

The standard recommendation is to sit near a lamp emitting 10,000 lux of white light for about an hour a day (preferably in the morning). These lamps are effective in that they're 10 to 20 times stronger than the brightness of average home or office lights.

Research has shown that, after just a few days of light therapy, two out of three seasonal affective disorder (SAD) patients experienced a significant improvement in their symptoms (Arch Gen Psychiatry 1998, 55(10): 883-889). You should be aware that light therapy can cause headaches and blurred vision, but these symptoms normally only last temporarily and disappear after a few days.

Another type of light treatment is called 'dawn simulation'. It involves setting a timer on a special lamp to automatically start producing light one to two hours before you wish to wake up. This has the effect of simulating a natural dawn, as it gradually increases the amount of light that is emitted - this is very effective in encouraging your brain to produce more serotonin (Acta Psychiatr Scand 1998, 98(1): 73-80)

3 natural treatment alternatives to help lift your spirits
Taking St John's wort has been found to be extremely effective in treating depression, as it stimulates the production of serotonin in the brain (J Pharm Pharmacol 2001, 53(5): 583-600).

In one study, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) patients receiving St John's wort each day, experienced considerable improvements in their symptoms (Psycho Pharm Ther 1998, 5(8): 21-25). The recommended dosage is 300mg of St. John's Wort a day.

Vitamin D can also help to relieve the symptoms of depression. Research shows that vitamin D3 is particularly beneficial in relieving seasonal affective disorder (SAD) symptoms (Psychopharmacol 1998 135(4) 319-323). The recommended dose is 400iu of vitamin D3 a day.

Steer clear of carbohydrates - they can make depression worse
It's important to tailor your diet by reducing your carbohydrate intake. Although carbohydrates help stimulate serotonin activity in the short term, the benefits last no more than a couple of hours and ultimately leave you feeling worse than you did before. Avoid caffeine and alcohol too - again, they only improve your mood temporarily.

Exercise is well known for its ability to boost serotonin levels and reduce melatonin in the brain. Choose outdoor pursuits and exercises to get maximum benefits (it's important to get as much exposure to natural sunlight as you can).

The seasonal affective disorder (SAD) Association, PO Box 989 Steyning, BN44 3HG, website: www.sada.org.uk - can send you an information pack (on request), which includes details on light therapy and where to obtain it. Light boxes typically cost around 100.