The clocks just fell back for fall, and we lost an hour of our day. With even less sunlight and warm weather seasonal depression, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) becomes an issue. SAD affects about 5 percent of people in the U.S. and lasts for approximately 40 percent of the year for them.
This number does not include the people in the U.S. who get SAD and don’t seek treatment for it.
This article will help you learn more about SAD during the darkest part of the year. It will also include some tips that should make SAD less debilitating to you.
Avoiding SAD during the darker and colder months:
1. Make sure you are getting enough Vitamin D. Many people don’t even get enough sunlight during the summer and have even less Vitamin D in their bodies. There are many different options for how to get more Vitamin D into your body. This includes taking supplements, eating fish, eggs, red meat, mushrooms, or milk. As often as you can, get 10-30 minutes of sunlight when the sun is the highest in the sky. Typically, between 11am and 3pm. If you have darker skin, you may need to try for 30-60 minutes in the sun for the same effect.
2. Use a UV lamp or a SAD lamp to provide more light and boost mood. Whichever light you get, be sure to consider the ones that have Ultraviolet (UVB) light to stimulate the body to produce Vitamin D. Some SAD lamps don’t have UVB rays, but still provide enough bright light to help.
3. Set aside plenty of time for mood boosting activities that you enjoy. Try planning a few extra events that you want to do such as hanging out with your favorite friends, or going to your favorite places. Looking forward to plans that you enjoy is one of the best ways to stay happy and fulfilled during the dark months. It is very important to stay active and keep your endorphins running while you endure the colder and darker times of the year.
4. Talk to your doctor about anti-depressants. If things get too hard, you may need to take some seasonal anti-depression medication.
5. Try aromatherapy with essential oils. This can have a better effect when combined with soothing and relaxing activities. Try this during a warm bubble bath or doing yoga.
Considering all of these tips should really boost your ability to get through the rest of fall and winter.
Keep your head in the positive zone and maybe get excited about Halloween. Look forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas if you can. Next thing you know it will be the New Year and spring will be here a while after that!