Kick the SAD Habit
Posted on | September 18, 2007 | Comments Off
Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, winter is a mood disorder. Most SAD sufferers experience typical psychological health all throughout the year, but experience depressive symptoms during the winter. A similar condition in the summer is known to as Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Seasonal Affective Disorder is often difficult to diagnose. Often it is misunderstood or overlooked. SAD is caused by an imbalance in the brain due to shortening of daylight hours and the lack of sunlight in winter. For many, SAD is a serious form of illness, preventing them from carrying out normal activities without continuous medical treatment. For other people, it is not that serious, only causing some discomfort, a condition known as sub-syndromal SAD or winter blues.
Recent studies have indicated that depressed people are generally more susceptible to the differences in temperature. Some researchers have attributed this to lower levels of electrolytes, essential minerals and salts in the body. Potassium is one of these. It has been shown that low levels of potassium can cause severe migraines. Lack of vitamin D and exposure to the sun can bring on SAD. SAD can begin at any age, but is rarely seen during the childhood years. Mostly it occurs in women who are above the age of 35.
Light therapy has been seen to be effective in most of the diagnosed cases of SAD. Light exposure (10 times the intensity of ordinary domestic lighting) from half an hour to several hours per day helps combat SAD. Ordinary light bulbs are not intense enough for this purpose. Whereas in general, the average home or office light delivers an intensity of 200-500 lux, the minimum recommended dose necessary to treat SAD is 2500 lux. Some SAD light therapy boxes deliver up to 10,000 lux. This high intensity can shorten treatment time.If any of the various symptoms of SAD is evidenced, it is highly suggested that the patient or his/ her near and dear ones should seek proper medical care. It might be something as simple as a chemical imbalance in the body that a small change in diet might swiftly fix. Sometimes a trip to sunnier climes or to a spa can do wonders to compensate for the condition. But in a few cases, it could be more severe. But all such cases can now be effectively treated. With the recent advances in science, SAD can be treated very successfully and the patients’ quality of life can thus be greatly improved.
