Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a kind of depression triggered due to season changes — it begins and ends approximately at the same time every year.
If you're experiencing SAD, you may notice symptoms starting in the Fall and may continue throughout the winter months. The apparent impact of Sad accounts for draining your energy and leading to extreme mood swings.
Various treatments and medications are available to treat the specific symptoms of SAD. During the spring and summer, these signs generally go away.
SAD is not specific to winters and can also cause depression in early summer. Such symptoms go away during the fall or winter months.
What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that usually occurs during winter (in a few cases, it can be summer). SAD may be caused due to changes in the amount of daylight one gets. It's unclear why some people get SAD, and others don't.
SAD can affect anyone, but it's more common in people who live in northern climates. The symptoms of SAD usually start in the Fall and continue through the winter. They may go away during the spring and summer months.
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Sad?
Symptoms of SAD can include:
- Feeling sad, hopeless, or anxious.
- Having low energy.
- Losing interest in activities you usually enjoy.
- Eating more than usual or less than usual.
- Sleeping too much or too little.
- Feeling down and sad for most of the days
- Losing interest in the day to day activities
- Feeling sluggish
- Experiencing weight gain, carbohydrate cravings, and mood swings
- Feeling guilty and hopeless
- Suicidal thoughts with no more interest in life
Here arSpecific SAD Symptoms During Summer And Springe the listed SAD symptoms that most patients experience during summer:
- Weight loss
- Increased irritability
- Poor appetite
- Anxiety and agitation
- Insomnia
Specific SAD Symptoms During Winter And Fall
Here are the SAD symptoms specific to winter and Fall and often referred to as winter depression:
- Low energy levels
- High fluctuation in appetite, especially carbs cravings
- Oversleeping
- weight gain
What Are The Causes Of Sad?
Here are some of the crucial factors that may contribute to the case of SAD
Serotonin Levels
According to researchers, a lack of sunlight may cause depression by causing a decrease in serotonin, a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that affects mood. Low light might induce a fall in serotonin, leading to sadness.
Melatonin Levels
The body's level of melatonin, which influences sleep patterns and mood, can be thrown off by the change in season.
Your Biological Clock
A reduced amount of sunlight may cause Winter-onset SAD in the Fall and winter. This drop-in sunshine might throw your body's clock out of sync, leading to sadness.
What Are The Risk Factors Associated With SAD?
SAD is found to be more prevalent in women and younger adults. Here are the specific factors that increase the risk of SAD:
Low Vitamin D
Vitamin D is crucial to boost your serotonin activity. Our skin produces vitamin D from the sunlight. If you are not getting enough sunlight or your diet does not include food with enough Vitamin D, you will likely experience low Vitamin D levels.
Family History
People suffering from SAD are likely to have this running in their families. They may have a family history of depression as well.
Away From The Equator
People living away from the south or north equator commonly experience SAD. One of the most important reasons for this is the lesser sunlight leading to low Vitamin D levels in the body.
Bipolar Disorder
If you are experiencing bipolar disorder or major depression, it may worsen seasonally.
How Is SAD Treated?
There are four main ways to treat SAD: light therapy, psychotherapy, medication, and Vitamin D.
Light Therapy
Light therapy has been a standard practice for treating SAD since the 1980s. It attempts to restore typical daylight levels in people with SAD by exposing them to intense light daily throughout the dark months.
For this therapy, the patient sits in front of a solid lightbox (10,000 lux) daily for around 30 to 45 minutes first thing in the morning from Fall through spring. Because these light boxes filter out potentially harmful UV radiation, making this a safe treatment for most individuals.
However, individuals with certain eye disorders or taking medications that boost their sensitivity to light may need to utilize non-solar treatment options or light therapy under medical guidance.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D nutritional supplements might aid in treating SAD if they are deficient, as many people with this condition have. According to studies, Vitamin D nutritional supplements may help alleviate symptoms in individuals suffering from SAD.
However, there is a lack of evidence on whether vitamin D is effective in treating SAD, and no definitive conclusions.
Medications
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are antidepressant medications used to treat SAD when symptoms occur. These medicines can significantly improve patients' moods.
Fluoxetine, citalopram, sertraline, paroxetine, and escitalopram are commonly prescribed SSRIs.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also given the go-ahead to the second type of antidepressant, bupropion, in an extended-release pill form that can help prevent the recurrence of seasonal major depressive episodes when taken every day from the Fall through early spring.
Medication can have adverse effects. Discuss the potential danger of using these medicines for your condition with your doctor.
You might need to try several antidepressant drugs before finding one that improves your symptoms without producing undesired side effects.
Psychotherapy Or "Talk Therapy"
CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is a type of talk therapy that aims to teach people how to manage difficult circumstances; it has also been applied to those suffering from SAD (CBT-SAD).
It is usually done in two weekly group sessions for six weeks and focuses on replacing evil thoughts about the winter season.
CBT-SAD comprises seven phases of treatment, with the first four focusing on cognitive skill development and exposure to negative thinking.
The fifth phase is a combination of fun and education in addition to distraction from your sadness that also includes activities like snowball fights, singing circles, spending time outdoors playing games, or doing anything else enjoyable.
CBT and light treatment were equally effective in reducing SAD symptoms when studied directly against one another. Several symptoms appeared to improve faster with light therapy than with CBT.
However, a long-term study that followed SAD patients for two winters found that the beneficial effects of CBT persisted longer over time.
If you think you have SAD, you must see your doctor. Treatment for SAD may include lifestyle changes, such as getting more exercise.
What Are The Various Complications Involved With Sad?
SAD is a serious issue that should be identified and addressed in time. Along with other types of depression, SAD can worsen over time if ignored at the initial stages. Some of the complications associated with SAD are:
- Eating and anxiety disorders
- Work and School issues
- Suicidal behavior and thoughts
- Substance abuse
- Social withdrawal
Clinical Trials Studying SAD
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) supports a wide range of research, including clinical trials that explore new strategies to prevent, detect, or treat illnesses and disorders—including SAD.
Although people can benefit from being part of a clinical trial, they should be aware that the primary goal of a clinical study is to gather new scientific knowledge.
Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health and around the country conduct clinical trials with patients and healthy volunteers.
Discuss clinical trials, their advantages and drawbacks, and whether one is suitable for you with your healthcare provider.
Visit the NIMH Clinical Trials page for more information about clinical research and how to locate clinical trials being conducted all around the United States.
When Should I Talk To My Doctor?
The first step toward recognizing your condition and discussing it with a doctor is recognizing the signs of depressive disorders. If you're having these five characteristic symptoms of a depressive illness (as defined by the DSM-5) on most days, talk to your doctor.
Losing Interest In Activities
You've probably lost interest in or stopped caring about your favourite activities, such as spending time with friends, exercising, or enjoying hobbies. You may observe this symptom yourself, or a loved one may point it out.
High Mood Swings And Emptiness
When encountering depression, it's common to feel many different things. Typical signs include a loss of pleasure or anticipation and an overall sense of anxiety and emptiness.
The depressed mood can be indicated by irritability or increased temper. Low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness or misplaced guilt may also creep into your daily existence.
Severe Fluctuations In Appetite And Weight
If you're not dieting, significant weight reduction or gain might indicate depression. On most days, depression induces increases and decreases in appetite. To obtain comfort foods or take a break from eating, you may alter what, how, and when you eat.
Unusual Sleeping Pattern
Depression can mess with your sleep schedule, making it difficult to obtain a whole night's rest. Depression is linked to insomnia, which includes waking up and not being able to go back to sleep, and hypersomnia or oversleeping (Narcolepsy).
You Feel Lethargic Most Of The Time
When you're emotionally upset, your body feels it as well. Depression may take a toll on your energy reserves, and you might find yourself exhausted on most days. Depression is characterized by slowness and lack of activity.
Exhaustion, guilt, and inadequacy can make it seem impossible to keep up with your regular responsibilities. You may need more energy to maintain your house or care for children or pets, and even small activities like showering might feel overwhelming.
What Are The Other Effective Ways To Ease Sad?
Here are some of the effective options that you should consider to ease SAD:
Prepare Yourself For Seasonal Alterations
Consider preparing your mind as you prepare our homes for the fall-to-winter shift. Regularly scheduling time for vigorous activities may help people feel better physically and psychologically.
It's usually preferable to prepare for the winter by starting in the fall season - going on pleasurable activities, forming friend group discussions and excursions, taking pleasure in hobbies, and participating in clubs or volunteer work.
It's much easier to get back into things before they start feeling the winter blues than trying to break out of them after they've already begun.
Dawn Simulators
Dawn simulators can help some people with SAD. These devices are alarm clocks rather than waking you abruptly with beeping or loud music. They produce light that gradually increases in intensity, just like the sun.
The best ones use full-spectrum light, which is closest to natural sunlight. Researchers found that dawn simulators were as effective as light therapy for people with mild SAD.
Avoid Alcohol
Burgess says that people may drink more for various reasons during stress or sadness. "When someone is feeling 'down,' they are more likely to drink alcohol, but drinking causes further depression, hence the downward spiral.
Also, if you notice that you're drinking on more days of the week than before or drinking a more significant amount of alcohol than you used to, these changes could eventually lead to an addiction.
Burgess says it's essential to determine what's behind the behaviour. She suggests asking yourself, "Why do I think I'm drinking more?" Talking to your doctor can also help if you have a drinking problem.
Using Aroma Therapy
When it comes to SAD in particular, essential oils could influence the brain area responsible for controlling moods and the body's internal clock that influences sleep and appetite.
Although the evidence for aromatherapy may be limited, using essential oils could be a safe and straightforward way to improve mental well-being — particularly when paired with another relaxing activity, like taking a bath or enjoying company by candlelight.
The safest ways to use aromatherapy include body oils, aroma sticks, and jewellery made with absorbent materials to which you can apply essential oils.
Consider Staycation
Taking a winter vacation to warmer climates can help alleviate symptoms of SAD by helping you escape cold and overcast skies, Kalayjian says. Even a short break from your daily routine in a sunny place can be helpful with winter depression.
"The excitement that can lift your mood can start as you prepare for your vacation and linger for a few weeks after you return," Kalayjian adds. Malinowski plans visits to warm-weather friends in winter for just that reason.
If the COVID-19 pandemic has sidelined your travel plans, consider planning a "staycation" instead — taking time off work and finding ways to experience typical vacation activities within your home and community.
FAQs
Now that you know all about seasonal affective disorder, let’s take a look at a few frequently asked questions.
How Do You Diagnose SAD?
The two crucial points to keep in mind while diagnosing SAD are the timing and time span of depressive episodes. Your depression may be diagnosed as seasonal affective disorder if it starts at the same time every year for at least 2 to 3 years in a line.
Can I Prevent SAD?
There are no proven ways to prevent SAD. Although, if the proper steps are initiated to manage its symptoms, you can escape from getting it worse.
The prescribed treatments help turn SAD worse over time. You can predict the time of year when you experience the symptoms, such as a change in appetite, mood, and energy levels.
What happens if SAD is not treated?
While SAD may not seem like a huge problem on its own, it does become a starting point for several problems like drug or alcohol addiction if left untreated.
Wrap Up!
All in all, seasonal affective disorder occurs at the same time each year for 2-3 years in line. While it may not seem like a bigger disorder, it acts as a starting point for various problems like various addictions. Furthermore, there are various treatments available for curing SAD, but the best ones include light therapy, CBT, and increased consumption of vitamin D.
Furthermore, if we talk about the effects of SAD, reduced sleep quality stands first in line. Therefore, to prevent the condition of sleep deprivation, make sure you take all the important steps to get better sleep. For instance, you may start by creating an ideal sleep environment, establishing a bedtime routine, and getting a comfortable and supportive mattress.
If you’re looking to get your hands on one of the best soft and comfortable mattresses, head over to Crafted Beds. We own a variety of all different types of mattresses that have different advantages over each other but equally ensure quality sleep and overall health. So what are you waiting for? Visit our store now and start getting the sleep you deserve!
