S.A.D.
We are experiencing a beautiful fall here in Northwestern Ohio as mother nature dons her prettiest dresses. The evenings are crisp and cool which is great for high school football games. The nights are cold in the 30′s so that we can bundle under the blankets we had caste aside for summer. The frost tolerant plants like beets, swiss chard, kohlrabi and cilantro are enjoying the sunny days without the stress of extreme heat.
However, there is a dark side to this season. S.A.D. aka Seasonal Affective Disorder has reared its ugly head. About Sept. 17 I feel the effects of this disorder as the amount of light has diminished enough to bring on depression. It manifests itself in eating too much, wanting to go to bed early as the sun sets, and taking more naps. Many people feel these manifestations but people with SAD have a more serious reaction. Short days and long nights affect my attitude, enthusiasm, interest in activities which must affect my feeling of well being if not my health.
By Thanksgiving SAD will be in full force as we have not only less light in the days, but we tend to have fog, rain, snow showers, cloudy days end upon end. This depression does not lift until the end of Dec. when we have more sunshine although cold and snowy days prevail. The feelings of SAD begins to turn around in the middle of February. I can almost know the day when my body says “ok we had enough light and it is all over”.
So how does one cope with SAD. I have read that it helps to increase the wattage of light bulbs so I bought the new energy efficient natural light bulbs. They are more expensive but quite effective. It is suggested to use light box therapy. Those are expensive so I find the brightest place to sit and soak up the light like a turtle.
Several years ago I accidently discovered that a cup of Earl Grey tea, bergemont tea leaves, lifted my spirits. A late afternoon 4:00 cup of tea will get me through the worst part of the day. Sun down is particularly hard as my body wants to cry out, “Stop, I haven’t had enough light for today”. Closing the drapes and curtains helps to fool my body. You know out of site, out of mind. If I don’t see the sun is setting I can’t complain. Have you ever noticed your mood change with certain types of music. A jazz station from Dayton Ohio will kick my serotonin on so that I can concentrate on activities. The last way I deal with SAD is to be very occupied and interested in some activity late in the afternoon. If the problem gets too bad especially in the worst month of Nov. and part of December, St. John’s Wort therapy is necessary.
Anyone reading this who has SAD, please share comments as to how you manage this disorder. What kicks the serotonin on for you?
Panda picked S.A.D. as a subject to discuss because we need to understand and deal with the effects of light deprivation. There still is little understanding from those who have no idea how it affects our lives. SAD has only been recognized by the medical field for a few years.
panda picks
Diane