We are creatures affected by our environment, and here in Canada, our environment turns colder and darker in our winter months. Hibernation is one solution; fighting back a sluggish mood with sunlight and exercise is another. Here’s why we want to make the most of our sunny days and get outside for exercise.
Feeling unusually tired, low, and/or anxious? Having problems concentrating, or sleeping and eating more than usual? You are not alone. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, up to 15% of Canadians (1 in 7) experience symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.(1) Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year – most commonly, the late Fall/early Winter with the symptoms most intense in the darkest months.(2) It is experienced by people living in areas far north (hello!) or south of the equator where winter days are short and sunlight is in short supply. It affects four times as many women as men, although men’s symptoms may be more severe. Symptoms of SAD include:
• Sleep problems – oversleeping but not refreshed, cannot get out of bed, needing a nap in the afternoon
• Overeating – carbohydrate craving leading to weight gain
• Depression, despair, misery, guilt, anxiety – normal tasks become frustratingly difficult
• Family / social problems – avoiding company, irritability, loss of libido, loss of feeling
• Lethargy – too tired to cope, everything an effort
• Physical symptoms – often joint pain or stomach problems, lowered resistance to infection
• Behavioural problems – especially in young people.(3)
Please note: These symptoms can be tied to a number of conditions. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms for a prolonged period of time, please consult your family doctor or health care professional. Only they can assess and properly diagnose your symptoms.
If you are diagnosed with SAD, treatment may include light therapy, psychotherapy, and/or medication.
If you have not been diagnosed with SAD, but you find your mood and energy still flagging, here’s what you can do to make a difference in how you feel:
• Get outside into the sunlight: Nerve centres and neurotransmitters in our brain control our daily “circadian” rhythms and moods, and are stimulated by the amount of light entering the eyes. In the winter, daylight is shorter, overcast days occur frequently, and we stay indoors more often to avoid the cold. Therefore, our brain doesn’t get exposed to the light that it needs. Evidence has shown that serotonin – a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, sexual desire and function, appetite, and sleep, to name a few – increases with exposure to bright light.(4) Need light? Bundle up and get out for a walk. This is particularly important if you work indoors and come and go to work in the dark. Do your absolute best to get outside during a break, even if it’s for 5 to 10 minutes.
• If the weather won’t allow it, your next best option is to sit near a sunny window, at home or at work. Also, many people use light therapy at home, whereby they sit close to a special light for a specific duration of time each day. A health care professional can help you determine if this is a good option for you.
• As always, exercise! Physical exercise helps relieve stress and anxiety, both of which can increase SAD symptoms.(5) We feel better when we exercise – physically (thanks to endorphins, our feel-good brain chemicals) and emotionally (our self-confidence improves, we’re distracted temporarily from our worries, and because we often exercise with friends, we get connected). It is tough to get into an exercise routine if we’ve been away from it, but the pay-off is great.
Note: In writing this commentary, I have referred to the Mayo Clinic’s informative site on Seasonal Affective Disorder: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/seasonal-affective-disorder/DS00195. For more information, please see this site or choose another reputable source.
(1) Seasonal Affective Disorder, Canadian Mental Health Association, http://download.cmha.ab.ca/Edmonton/
Seasonal%20affective%20disorder.pdf)
(2) Seasonal Affective Disorder, Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.com
(3) http://www.lumie.com/help/quick-guides/sad
(4) Ibid
(5) Seasonal Affective Disorder, Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.com