Seasonal affective disorder and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day
By MOLLY THOMPSON – mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu
If you’ve been to the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) recently, you’re likely familiar with the fun, seemingly random exit polls the staff often pose on a little whiteboard for gym goers to vote on as they leave. I saw one during the week after daylight savings time ended, asking whether seasonal depression “hit you like a truck” or if you were “still okay somehow.” There were a lot of responses on both sides (and some other creative responses), but it appeared that most people felt like they’d been run over by the proverbial 18-wheeler that is seasonal depression. I guess it helps to know that I’m not alone.
More accurately known as seasonal affective disorder (or SAD, appropriately), seasonal depression causes many people to experience depressive symptoms during the winter months. This can include or be accompanied by increased levels of anxiety, fatigue, pessimism, irritability, lack of motivation, inability to concentrate and physical ailments, among many more possible symptoms.
While SAD can occur during the summer months (often with slightly different symptoms), it’s most common in the winter, affecting millions of Americans every year to varying degrees. Interestingly, it’s also more common in northern areas, which receive less daylight hours during the winter season.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) emphasizes that the root causes of SAD are still being determined, but a lot of data and research on it does already exist. As it turns out, decreased exposure to sunlight is one of the leading culprits. Depending on location, we can get around five to six fewer hours of daylight in the winter than the summer here in the United States. With stormy, cloudy weather commonly occuring in the winter, we often get even less sun exposure than that.
But why does this even matter? Why do we even need sun exposure? Firstly, it helps us regulate our circadian rhythms and can dictate the quality of our sleep. Sleep has a powerful impact on physical health, mental health, emotional well-being, productivity and mood. Especially in the morning, sunlight can help set our internal clocks. Oftentimes, because of lowered sun exposure and as a general pattern that exists in conjecture, people with SAD tend to produce excess melatonin — a hormone that helps maintain a normative circadian rhythm — causing exhaustion and oversleeping.
The most important thing we get from the sun is vitamin D. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun help our bodies make the nutrient, which is necessary for bone health, blood cells and our immune system (another reason why we can be more susceptible to viruses and infections during the winter).
Vitamin D is also incredibly important for our mental health, as it impacts the molecules in our brains that allow us to keep our serotonin — acting as a neurotransmitter that helps regulate our moods — levels up. So, less vitamin D from less sun exposure can keep those molecules from adequately doing their jobs, leading to lower levels of serotonin in the colder, darker months. Without sufficient serotonin, we can feel destabilized.
The good news is that there are things we can do to take care of ourselves during these dark and stormy nights. Utilizing supplements is a popular and effective treatment strategy; Melatonin, for example, is abundantly available over the counter.
A common misconception about melatonin is that it works as a sedative, even though it doesn’t — it’s a hormone that our bodies produce naturally that helps regulate our sleep and wake cycles, rather than simply putting us to sleep. Common practice is to take five to 10 milligrams about 30 minutes before we want to go to sleep, although it doesn’t necessarily work that way. Instead, I suggest taking a smaller dose (up to one milligram) several hours before going to sleep and taking it every day. This will help realign our circadian rhythms over time, which is how melatonin normally functions. Overdoing and misusing melatonin can actually worsen symptoms of insomnia and drowsiness during waking hours, so it’s important to be patient.
Vitamin D is also an easy-to-acquire supplement, and, unlike melatonin, it’s hard to overdose on it. Unlike other vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin D is fat-soluble rather than water-soluble. With vitamin C, any excess that you ingest will just be flushed out of your system through your kidneys. On the other hand, because vitamin D is fat-soluble, your body will absorb what you take in.
The amount that each person needs varies based on age, region, diet (how much vitamin D you get from the foods you already eat), skin color and body size, among other factors. The Mayo Clinic notes that beyond 4,000 international units (IU) per day is unsafe, and most drug store supplements contain half of that or less. Vitamin D deficiency is also very common; The last time I asked my primary care doctor how much I should be taking, she said that she’s never seen anyone have lab results that showed enough vitamin D — do with that information what you will.
Of course, supplements and self-care practices aren’t magic. Even if we make ourselves into perfect pictures of health on paper, chances are our seasonal depression won’t disappear. It can certainly make a big difference, but it’s not a panacea. I’ve personally found that prioritizing time with my social circle makes a significant difference. Surrounding myself with people who give me love has proven to be incomparably rejuvenating time and time again, similar to finally charging your phone enough to turn off low-power mode.
Be extra gentle with yourself now that the days are shorter and the winds have turned cold and unforgiving. Take care of yourself, but also cut yourself some slack. Yes, it’s hard to feel optimistic when it’s dark at 4:30 p.m., but don’t forget that the sun will always come out tomorrow.
Written by: Molly Thompson — mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie
