Tom's Tips

“I just hate this time change, it gets dark so early.”

“I feel so tired all the time, but I really do not sleep well either.”

“I’m not eating well at all.”

“People annoy me.”

“I can’t seem to concentrate or get much done.”

“I feel like such a scrooge. I really do not like the holidays.”

We all react to the effects of less and less daylight. As daylight diminishes, it is important to replenish your need for this type of light. Think of it like this. As your body becomes dehydrated, it requires that you replenish it with liquids. You become thirsty as a signal to replenish your body with water. Similarly, as your body becomes depleted of bright sunlight, it sends signals that you need to replenish your light needs. The above comments are your body’s way of signaling you that it may be time to replenish your need for light.

The Winter Blues

The term “the winter blues” as actually a specific way your body responds to the lessening of daylight during the winter months. As days get shorter and nights longer, your body shifts it natural biological clock. This causes your biological clocks to be out of step with your daily schedule. Your body’s energy levels begin to slow down. You begin to crave high carbohydrate and high sugar foods. Similar to the hibernation response found in such animals like bears. Rather that just trying to push themselves to cope, they just load up on food, find a cave, and go to sleep.

We cannot do that, so rather than responding to our body’s natural slowdown, we just push our bodies to adjust to our schedules. You can’t fool Mother Nature.

There is a wide variation in how people respond to SAD. At one end of the spectrum, some have a mild response: mild fatigue, isolation, diet changes, and anxiety. At the other extreme, people struggle to such a degree that their family, social, and work performance is significantly impaired. They become very isolated, moody, and irritable; their diet is disrupted, they nap whenever they can, they loose interest in doing much of anything, they loose interest in sexual intimacy, have feelings of suicide. For women, PMS or menopausal symptoms are magnified.

So what causes SAD?

There is not a widely agreed upon understanding of how and why SAD occurs.

Researchers suspect that reduced sunlight may disrupt your body's internal clock, which lets you know when it's time to sleep and when it's time to wake up. Some scientists have theorized that the production of melatonin, a sleep-related hormone, increases during the long nights of winter.

Other research suggests that lack of serotonin, thought to be triggered by sunlight, is the reason for winter depression. People who are depressed have decreased levels of serotonin in their brains.

There are several ways to treat SAD.

1. Light Therapy. This therapy is thought to help tell the brain to produce less Melatonin and more Serotonin. Do you use “full spectrum”, or bright light? Research seems to favor using the bight light (10,000 lux), for about one half to one hour a day. Full spectrum can be helpful since it produces a pleasing light that cheers up your environment but it does not treat the symptoms of SAD. The bright lights cost between $250-400. Some insurance will cover some of the costs if prescribed by your physician.
   Go to Sylvane to purchase the best light product to help you replenish your need for light during the winter months.
2. Exercise. This will help keep your energy levels up and improve sleep
3. Reduce your intake of unhealthy carbohydrates. Refined sugars and flour especially.
4. Ask your healthcare professional or pharmacist about adding a melatonin supplement.
5. Some people who suffer severely from SAD, respond to the use of antidepressant medication. Consider this carefully with your healthcare professional, as these medications carry side effects that you may not find acceptable.