Thinking about the incoming winter months can automatically trigger feelings of sadness, negativity, and dread. The days get shorter, the temperature gets colder, and there’s more rain in the air — and it’s months until summer comes back around.
For some, these natural negative feelings that manifest as winter arrives can develop into something more extreme and form a type of seasonal depression.
WHAT IS SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD)?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that’s related to changes in seasons. Those who suffer from SAD begin to experience symptoms in autumn and continue to feel the effects through the winter months. These symptoms often resolve during the spring and summer months.
On rare occasions, SAD can cause depression in the spring or early summer and resolves during the autumn or winter months.
THE SYMPTOMS
It’s common to be affected by changing seasons and weather, or to have times of year when you feel more or less comfortable. You may have even noticed that your mood, energy levels, eating habits or sleep patterns change when there’s been a few days bad weather.
But if your negative feelings and habits are interfering with your day-to-day life, it could be a sign that you have
depression — and if they keep coming back at the same time of year, this can be diagnosed as seasonal depression.
There are some common signs and symptoms of SAD, which include:
- Feeling listless, sad or down most of the day, nearly every day
- Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
- Having low energy and feeling sluggish
- Having problems with sleeping and/or concentrating
- Experiencing carbohydrate cravings, overeating and weight gain
- Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty
- Having thoughts of not wanting to live
Generally speaking, these symptoms and signs become more pronounced as the winter months get closer.
Symptoms specific to summer-onset seasonal affective disorder, sometimes called summer depression, can be slightly different to the ones that manifest during the more common winter-onset SAD, and may include:
- Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Poor appetite
- Weight loss
- Agitation or anxiety
- Increased irritability
WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?
As the seasons change, so too do some of the natural rhythms in our bodies. Sometimes these changes become more pronounced and impact our lives. These include:
Your biological clock (circadian rhythm) – Have you ever woken up seconds before your alarm? Well, that’s because your body has a natural internal body clock that regulates your sleep, mood and appetite. The reduced level of sunlight in autumn and winter can ‘damage’ this internal body clock, causing confusion, impacting mood and affecting sleep. This can ultimately lead to feelings of sadness and depression.
Serotonin levels – Reduced sunlight can cause a drop in serotonin levels in our body. Serotonin is a feel-good brain chemical (neurotransmitter) that can affect mood. If the production of this chemical his hindered, it can trigger feelings associated with depression.
Melatonin levels – The change in season can also disrupt the balance of the body’s level of melatonin, a brain chemical which plays an important role in sleep patterns and mood.
SELF-HELP FOR SAD
- Getting outside as much as possible – Whenever possible, get outside during daylight hours and expose yourself to the sun. The sun’s rays can help boost vitamin D levels, which, in turn, can boost serotonin production and improve your mood
- Exercise regularly – Regular exercise can boost serotonin, endorphins, and other feel-good brain chemicals. Even something as simple as walking the dog can be good exercise for you and your pet, as well as a great way to get outdoors and interact with other people.
- Reach out to those close to you – Close relationships are vital in reducing isolation and helping you manage SAD. Reach out to your trusted friends and family, participate in social activities (even if you don’t feel like it), call or email an old friend to meet up, join a support group for depression or volunteer your time helping others.
- Form healthy eating habits – The symptoms of SAD can make you crave large amount of sugary food and simple carbohydrates like pasta and white bread that, without exercise, can cause you to put on weight. Eating well- balanced meals throughout the day, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, will help you keep your energy up and minimise mood swings. Opt for complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, whole grain bread, brown rice, and bananas.
- Limit your stress – There’s a lot of external factors in the world that can contribute to our stress levels, but there are triggers that you do have control If social media is causing you anxiety, then log out of your accounts or avoid ‘doom scrolling’ in the evenings and first thing in the morning. You can also include breathing exercises, meditation or yoga in your daily routine to help manage stress and reduce negative emotions.
Contact a mental health professional
It’s normal to have some days when you feel down. But if you feel down for days at a time and you can’t get motivated to do activities you normally enjoy, it can be beneficial to reach out and talk to a mental health professional. This is especially important if your sleep patterns and appetite have changed, you turn to alcohol for comfort or relaxation, or you experience feelings of hopelessness.
Contact one of our friendly team, who can put you in contact with the help you need, on 1300 687 327.
