How to not get SAD this year!

By Maura Benson, DO

As winter begins to approach, it brings many joys – the upcoming holidays, hockey season, snow falling on a quiet street –but it also brings some down sides. Days get shorter and the cold can get unbearable. Sometimes these changes with the seasons can cause mood changes. When these moods get more serious or start to affect your daily life, this is called Seasonal Affective Disorder. 

What is SAD? 

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that can happen during the winter months, usually lasting for 4-5 months of the year. There are actually two different types of SAD, a winter and a summer one, which is much less common. 

Symptoms of SAD include:

• Feeling sad, anxious or “empty” most days for at least two weeks 
• Being easily frustrated, irritable or restless or feeling hopeless 
• Having less interest in things that you usually enjoy doing 
• Having less energy than you normally do 
• Changes in your sleep and oversleeping
• Changes in your appetite
• Thoughts of hurting yourself or suicidal thoughts 

What causes SAD?

SAD can be caused by changes in the level of serotonin, which is a chemical in your brain that helps to make you happy. The amount of sunlight that you are exposed to during the day can also contribute to SAD. When you get less sunlight during the day, this can change how much serotonin your body produces. It also can cause you to be deficient in Vitamin D which your body makes from sunlight. Vitamin D works with serotonin to help regulate your mood. Also, the changes in the amount of sunlight also can affect your body’s circadian rhythm – your body’s internal clock. Another chemical in your body that can be affected by less sunlight is melatonin, which causes sleepiness. 

There are other factors that can also contribute to SAD. Sometimes during the winter people can become more isolated, which can affect their mood. Additionally, negative feelings that people have about the time of year can contribute to SAD. Holiday season, though mostly fun, can also cause increased stress, sometimes from financial stress or stress from family obligations. 

What are things that you can do to help your mood during the winter? 

Even if you don’t have SAD, there are some things that have been proven to be helpful for people with mood changes in the winter. Light therapy can be helpful when your body is craving more sunlight than you can get. Using a light box, or bright light (more than 10,000 lux) for around 30 minutes a day during the winter months can help trick your body into thinking its getting more sunlight than it is. If you are not able to get a light box, trying to get some light exposure outside during the day can also be helpful. Just be sure to bundle up!

Another thing that can be helpful is taking a vitamin D supplement, which will help your body use its serotonin even if you are not getting enough sunlight. Make sure to talk to your doctor before starting a new supplement in case it interacts with any other medications that you might be taking. 

Exercise is also proven to help boost mood during any time of year. Try to aim for 150 minutes of exercise a week. This can include walks, stretching, yoga or strength training or any type of movement that brings you joy. Also staying in touch with people you care about during the winter months can help boost your mood. A phone call or a friendly hello to your neighbor can go a long way!

When to talk to your doctor:

If you are worried that you may have SAD, talk to your primary care doctor. If your feelings are affecting your daily life and you are not able to do what you normally do, you may benefit from taking medication to help with your mood in the winter months or even potentially all year round. 

If you feel that your depression is very severe or if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, talk to a doctor immediately or go to the emergency room. If you or someone you know is in immediate distress or thinking about hurting themselves, call or text 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat 988lifeline.org.  

Dr. Benson is a physician at Allina Health United Family Physicians, 233 Grand Ave, St. Paul, 55102, 651-241-5200