Unusually fatigued? Grumpy? Listless? Craving sweets? Lacking motivation to do simple tasks? Do these symptoms persist and become increasingly exacerbated in the winter months? If so, then you may have a case of SAD. Not sad as in melancholy, but SAD as in Seasonal Affective Disorder. SAD is a condition that plagues many young people, particularly women, in their early 20s and consequently may affect their personal relationships, as well as their work and school performance. It's a feeling of hopelessness that can't be shaken, a simple lack of desire to do anything requiring more than minimal effort and a tiredness that is unjustified. These are all symptomatic of the body's involuntary response to the change in available sunlight.
The phrase "sunny disposition" used to describe a person full of mirth and glee is not without truth. According to research, the sun and our exposure to light have a marked influence on our mood. SAD has been categorized as a sub-type of depression in the American Psychiatric Association's DSM IV. However, the disorder manifests itself as an atypical form of depression where sufferers experience increased appetite and increased slumber, as opposed to the loss of both as commonly associated with clinical depression.
The following is a list of symptoms identified by MayoClinic.com as the main indicators of SAD:
• Depression
• Hopelessness
• Anxiety
• Loss of energy
• Social withdrawal
• Oversleeping
• Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Appetite changes, such as a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
• Weight gain
• Difficulty concentrating and processing information
Why do these symptoms occur? The main external factor that facilitates the onset of SAD is the lack of sunlight. As mentioned before, some research indicates that sunlight affects us chemically.
It is shown that exposure to sunlight maintains our levels of the chemicals melatonin and serotonin as well as keeps our circadian rhythm in check. The circadian rhythm is the 24-hour cycle that living organisms govern themselves by internally. However, external factors such as changes in exposure to sunlight can have adverse effects. In the winter months, when the days are shorter and darkness falls earlier, our circadian rhythm is thrown off and the body is sometimes unprepared to deal with this misalignment. This problem then manifests itself into the symptoms associated with SAD.
Melatonin is a hormone that is released as dusk falls, which sends a cue to our bodies to relax and causes us to "wind down". In the winter months, when the darkness lasts longer and starts earlier, the levels of the hormone in our systems become excessive and therefore results in daytime lethargy, irritability and moodiness. Similarly, serotonin is a chemical in the brain that, when found in unnaturally low levels, causes affected people to be more depressive as it functions as an regulator of anger, mood, sleep and appetite. Research has shown that people's serotonin levels tend to dip in the winter months, especially affecting residents in the northern states where some links have been made to sun exposure.
So what can be done to combat SAD? The most popular SAD treatment is light therapy where candidates are exposed to artificial light in daily sessions. This artificial illumination mimics outdoor lighting and attempts to regulate the circadian rhythm, while concurrently improving levels of melatonin and serotonin. While this treatment has not been clinically approved by the FDA, SAD sufferers have demonstrated marked improvements in their dispositions.
Because SAD is a form of depression, prescriptions of anti-depressants are sometimes given to those who are the most affected by the disorder. Some of the prescribed medications are Zoloft, Paxil and Prozac, which attempt to balance the chemicals in the brain that affect our mood. However, the effects of the anti-depressants sometimes take time and improvements are not always immediately noticeable. Finding the most effective medication is the challenge to be faced.
If you're experiencing the "winter blues", know that you're not alone and that it's definitely not uncommon to feel less than 100 percent in these cold months. If you feel especially debilitated by your lethargy or depression, it is imperative that you seek professional help to improve your functionality.
For any additional health questions, please don't hesitate to contact the Baruch College Medical Center at (646) 312-2040 to make an appointment. You can also discreetly contact the Baruch Counseling Center at (646) 312-2155 if you suspect that you may have SAD.
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