What Are the “Winter Blues”?

It is that time of the year again, when the days get shorter, the nights longer, and the weather becomes cold and often miserable. The winter season is dreaded by some people. During this season, some feel “the blues”; others however, can slip into a deeper depression or sadness —this is known as winter or seasonal depression.

Seasonal depression, clinically labeled as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is a sub-type of depression that occurs each year during winter. It usually starts in the fall or early winter and can continue until spring or early summer. It affects four to six percent of the population in the United States with about 70 percent being women. Most people start having symptoms of SAD in their thirties, although younger people can also suffer from the illness.

What are the symptoms?

People suffering from SAD have the following symptoms:

• Decreased energy level
• Increased need for sleep
• Increased appetite and craving for sweets
• Weight gain
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feelings of sadness
• Irritability
• Loss of interest in activities
• Social withdrawal

Why does it happen?

Although the exact cause of this condition is not known, research has found that SAD is associated with high latitudes, where people have less exposure to sunlight. According to one theory, lack of exposure to sunlight may change the levels of certain chemicals, such as serotonin, in the brain and therefore lead to depression for some people during the winter season.

SAD is particularly a problem in the Northern hemisphere where winter coincides with the popular holiday season of Christmas and New Year’s. People’s mental condition can totally change as they struggle to deal with not only less sunlight but also the stress (a major cause of depression) of the holidays.

In addition to lack of exposure to sunlight and stress, research studies have also found that the transition from fall to winter tends to be the time of year when people have the highest amount of physical illness such as cold, flu, asthma attacks, heart attacks, and so forth. When we are physically vulnerable, we are also mentally vulnerable.

What are the treatments for SAD?

There are very successful treatments for SAD. In addition to antidepressant medication and psychotherapy (both conventional treatments for depression), light therapy has also been proved by clinical studies as an effective treatment for the condition.

Light therapy is administered by a device that contains white fluorescent light tubes (usually 10,000 Lux) covered with a plastic screen to block ultraviolet rays. During the treatment, the patient sits in front of the light device at a distance of approximately 1 meter while engaging in other activities (i.e. reading or writing). Usually, daily treatment is required and each session lasts about 30 minutes. Recent studies have suggested that morning light therapy treatments are more effective than evening treatments. Improvement in condition begins to show within 2 to 4 days and reaches full benefit within 2 to 4 weeks. If treatment is ceased, however, the symptoms of SAD do return. Therefore, it is recommended that light treatment be continued throughout the entire season of low sunlight.

Light therapy is safe and can be tolerated by most people. As with most treatments, however, there are some minor side effects including eye strain, headache, irritability, fatigue, and insomnia.

What preventive measures work?

Although we can rely on these treatments there are also ways to prevent depression before it starts. To prevent SAD or to decrease your SAD symptoms you can:

• Spend a certain amount of time outdoors every day, even when the sky is overcast.
• Exercise for 30 to 45 minutes every day, preferably outdoors.
• Increase your exposure to lighting while staying indoors. Natural sunlight is better than fluorescent lighting.
• Eat a well-balanced diet and take sufficient vitamins and minerals.

Most importantly, if you believe you may suffer from SAD, seek professional help and get a complete evaluation.