The winter solstice begins Saturday, Dec. 21, but the skies above Alexandria will be darker in the evenings starting Sunday, Nov. 3 when Daylight Saving Time ends and we move our clocks back an hour.
Although the winter season has been seen for centuries around the globe as a time to celebrate, happiness may not be the first thing that comes to mind when the world seems so dark and cold.
There are people who find the winter months delightful — think snuggling under a cozy blanket with the latest bestseller and throwing an extra log on the fire — but it may affect others more deeply. Some people may experience fatigue, depression, hopelessness and social withdrawal.
If this sounds like you, then you might suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or "SAD" (how's that for an apt acronym?).
It's estimated that about six out of every 100 people experience the disorder. Those most at risk for the disorder, according to the National Mental Health Institute, are women (four times more likely than men); younger people, including children and teens; those who suffer from a deficiency in Vitamin D and people who are already diagnosed with bipolar dis-order or depression (and could see their symptoms worsen).
Fortunately, there are several ways to alleviate the effects of this disorder. These include changes in your diet to boost Vitamin D, seeing a doctor for therapy or medications, spending time outside on sunny days, making special efforts to see friends or even give yourself some-thing to look forward to — like your next vacation somewhere warm. According to the National Institutes of Health, for those suffering from SAD, there are four major treatment options:
LIGHT THERAPY (PHOTOTHERAPY) Light therapy is a way to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder and certain other conditions by exposure to artificial light. During light therapy, you sit or work near a device called a light therapy box. The box gives off bright light that mimics natural outdoor light. Light therapy is thought to affect brain chemicals linked to mood and sleep, easing SAD symptoms. Using a light therapy box may also help with other types of depression, sleep disorders and other conditions.
VITAMIN D A 2014 University of Georgia study showed that a deficiency in Vitamin D could be a key contributor to SAD. “Rather than being one of many factors, vitamin D could have a regulative role in the development of SAD,” according to Alan Stewart of the University of Georgia College of Education.
Stewart and others conducted a review of more than 100 leading articles and found a relationship between vitamin D and seasonal depression. “Studies have also found depressed patients commonly had lower levels of vitamin D," he said. A few minutes of sunlight exposure each day should do the trick. But if you can't find the sun in the dark days of winter, you can also try mushrooms, egg yolks and fatty fish (think salmon and sardines).
MEDICATION Experts say that two specific chemicals in the brain, melatonin and serotonin, may be involved in SAD. These two chemicals help regulate a person's sleep-wake cycles, energy and mood.
Shorter days and longer hours of darkness in fall and winter may cause increased levels of melatonin and de-creased levels of serotonin, creating the biological conditions for depression. The American Academy of Family Physicians notes that extended-release bupropion is effective in preventing symptoms in high-risk adults with a history of the illness.
PSYCHOTHERAPY For those who think they may be helped by therapy, Psychology Today offers a "Find a Therapist" site, which you can search by city and specify your needs for what ails you, such as social withdrawal or mood disorder.
