Seasonal Affective disorder- a question mark for a layman. Can it be true? Can winters really create a dip in my mood? Isn’t my mood mostly affected by things that happen with me or I have control with? Can a seasonal change cause anything more than cold and flu? Moreover, what is unbelievable is that can it really cause depression?

But the reality is: seasonal affective disorder (SAD)exists which goes unnoticeable for many but it does exist. Seasons have as much of an influence on mental stability as situational stressors.

Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression related to the change in seasons. SAD often begins and ends at about the same time every year. Symptoms start probably in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping the energy and making one feel low on mood.

SAD includes the mostly heard symptoms of depression which includes:

·        Feeling low most of the day, nearly every day.

·        Lack of interest in activities that an individual typically enjoys.

·        Lack of motivation.

·        Withdrawal and isolation from loved ones.

·        Inability to focus and concentrate on work performance and household tasks.

·        Lethargy and fatigue.

·        Thoughts of hopelessness and worthlessness.

·        Thoughts of death or suicide.

In addition, the individuals tend to have a symptom cluster consisting of so-called “reverse” or “atypical” vegetative symptoms.

While the classical vegetative symptoms of depression are loss of appetite, weight and sleep, the individuals with SAD experience:

·        Increased sleep.

·        Intense daytime drowsiness in spite of increased sleep duration.

·        Over- eating.

·        Craving for foods containing complex carbohydrates (e. g chocolates and sweets) that are predominately ingested during the afternoon or evening.

·        Increased appetite often leads to winter weight gain.

How common is SAD?

SAD is four times more common in women than in men. The age of onset for seasonal affective disorder is estimated to be between 18 and 30 years and it has been seen that it rarely affects the people younger than 20 years of age.

The SAD increases after puberty and the prevalence are highest in the middle of the reproductive years and then falls off in old age.

What causes Seasonal Affective Disorder?

The dominant theory in this field is that light affects our circadian rhythm by training our brain’s internal clock and keeping it synchronized with our environment. However, our circadian rhythm is interrupted by changes in the light cycle that can cause cognitive and emotional issues such as irregular sleep patterns and moodiness.

Light matters a lot because it boosts our mood and energy. To regulate our mood and physiology, light-sensing cells send light information to the brain through the optic nerve in your eye. From here, neurons in the brain further relay the light information to regulate mood and hormone release, changing physiological functions depending on the season of the year.

The exact mechanisms happening in the brain for light to regulate mood is poorly understood, but evidence supports that light can regulate the mood-enhancing neurotransmitter serotonin as well as the sleep- promoting hormone melatonin.

In the summer, when most people get a lot of natural light, this promotes changes in the body allowing an increased sense of well-being, more energy and good mood. In fall most people spend less time outside, combined with days with less hours of sunlight. Many do not get enough natural light to maintain the “feeling happy” brain signals and start to feel sad.

How would one know whether it's winter blues or seasonal affective disorder?

The winter blues is a mental state comprised of feelings of sadness and fatigue during the coldest and darkest months of the year. It may be hard to get out of bed some mornings, you may have trouble sleeping and you may feel unmotivated to complete daily tasks or to get outside. However, the winter blues is temporary and does not affect your ability to function throughout the day and to enjoy life. You might feel down and out, but you are still completing your necessary daily tasks, such as going to work and completing household duties. But if your winter blues start permeating all aspects of your life- from work to personal relationships- you may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder.

Seasonal Affective Disorder and Kashmir

‘Wande’ - the winter season of Kashmir extends for months altogether and also has a harsh bone chilling period known as ‘Chilai Kalan’.

Winters in Kashmir not only just bring cold and dip in temperature but it brings a lot of challenges that makes Kashmiris more vulnerable to depressive features. From lack of adequate facilities like electricity to lack of recreational facilities everything affects the functioning.

There’s heavy snowfall which causes snow accumulation on the roads making the roads slippery and thus unsafe for travelling. The slow snow clearance makes the situation further worse for the people because it results in the cutting off scores of the areas in the valley and thus jeopardizing the daily activities of the people.

The people thus spend most of the time indoors, in the dark and gloomy environment, without sufficient light. This decreases social interaction and makes them feel lazy and less productive. As a result, sadness paves way into their life. While these feelings may be temporary for some, many people consistently struggle through winter months with seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

SAD, like other types of depression not only affects the way a person feels about himself but it also has an intense impact on the day-to-day functioning which can affect a person’s productivity and also it can isolate an individual from other people. People may feel like they have spent half the year happy and then one day they wake up feeling different, and suddenly everything feels like a struggle to them and it hangs over like a dark cloud over them.

How to overcome it?

Some individuals notice that their symptoms start to improve when the season begins to change and as spring approaches, they feel more energetic. But this doesn’t mean that there aren’t many things an individual can do during the winter months to help cope with the symptoms. It is better to get yourself up for the winter season by starting in the fall season.

One should indulge in the enjoyable activities, try staying connected with the loved ones as much as possible, initiate outings and take part in the hobbies that are personally enjoyable. Regularly taking part in these activities ahead of time is much easier than trying to start from scratch once the winter blues have already set in.

The COVID 19 pandemic could make seasonal affective disorder even tougher to deal with because much time is spent inside as compared to outside, but as already said there are ways to make oneself feel better.

It is important to treat SAD, because all forms of depression limit people’s ability to live their lives to the fullest, to enjoy their families, and to function well at work. If you have noticed a change in your feelings, thoughts and behavior for longer than two weeks you should talk to a psychiatrist. They will be able to tell you what help and support is available and might refer you for talking treatment, such as counseling or cognitive behavioural therapy or even prescribe medication.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy involves identifying negative thought patterns that contribute to symptoms and then replacing these thoughts with more positive ones. To help manage SAD here are a few options you might want to consider.

Spend time outside

Going for walks, particularly around midday or on bright days, can be effective in reducing symptoms. Spending time outside is the most popular way to cope with the changes and pressures over the last 18 months. Spending time in parks or gardens, or simply sitting near a window can also help.

Get active

Physical activity can also be very effective in lifting your mood and increasing energy levels. It doesn’t have to be anything particularly strenuous- doing housework, gardening or going for a gentle walk can all help. Research shows that outdoor exercise, such as cycling or jogging, can be as effective as antidepressants in treating mild to moderate depression.

Stay present

It is important to try to stay present and mindful, especially when outside. On your walks, appreciate the beauty of the leaves changing colours, or the vastness of the sky.

Eat healthy

Eating a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruit, vegetables and protein.

Take Vitamin D supplementation

Research has found that people with SAD often have low vitamin D levels. Because of this, people are encouraged to increase their intake of this vitamin through diet (milk, cheese, fish, egg yolk, mushrooms), exposure to sun or vitamin supplementation.

Vitamin D is made in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight. Sun exposure is by far the best way to boost vitamin D levels. It is important to note that the sun's UVB rays cannot penetrate through windows. So, people who work next to sunny windows are still prone to vitamin D deficiency. Midday is the best time to get sunlight.

Establish a sleep routine

Stick to a regular bedtime every day. Avoid daytime naps to get the benefits of daytime light.

Find quality time

Spend time with the family members. Talking with the family members will turn out to be therapeutic as it can ease the isolation and feeling of loneliness. Involving oneself in the household work along with other family members or helping your child with the homework will also help in alleviating the feeling of sadness. Try sticking with the daily routine as much as possible and stay connected with loved ones either in person or over video chat.

Light therapy

Light therapy may prove to be very essential in relieving the symptoms of sadness. Individuals should try getting more natural light during the day.

At last, it is important to keep oneself warm during the cold weather because it has been seen that being cold can make oneself sadder and more depressed. This can be done by taking hot drinks and hot food.

People deserve to heal, recover and grow. Seasonal affective disorder needs more awareness and discussion.