Enjoying the Winter Holiday Season
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
By Mary Ellen Copeland, M.S., M.A.
No matter what your faith or cultural background, as the holiday season
approaches, you may notice, as many people do, that instead of feeling a sense
of warm anticipation, you feel a sense of dread. The media is advertising
things you can do and buy that are "guaranteed" to make your holidays
more meaningful and jolly. You notice that others are bustling about on holiday
errands and missions of good will. Why do you feel so bad? And what can you do
about it? In this column, I will share some of the reasons that some people
find that this "joyous" season falls far short of expectations, and
ideas on how you can help yourself to feel better.
Short Days and Long Nights
Do you notice that as the daylight shortens through the fall and into the
winter, you feel more and more sad and fatigued? You may have a hard time
getting out of bed in the morning. You lack motivation and have a difficult
time experiencing pleasure. Your self-esteem plummets. To make matters worse,
you may crave sweets and, as you give in to these cravings, your clothes become
tighter and tighter.
In recent years, the phenomenon of
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which is related to lack
of light through the eyes, has become widely accepted as a cause of this
malaise. The good news is that it is often easily relieved, sometimes quickly,
and more often gradually, over a period of weeks by
increasing
exposure to natural and full spectrum light sources (light therapy).
What Can You Do to Help Yourself?
See your health care provider. If she or he does not have
expertise in addressing Seasonal Affective Disorder, ask for a referral to
someone that does have this expertise. Naturopathic physicians and other health
care providers are often helpful sources of information on SAD.
Increase your exposure to natural light. Get outdoors for at
least half an hour each day – more if possible – even on cloudy and
stormy days. Taking a walk or getting some other kind of exercise while you are
outdoors will help you feel better as well. Although window glass is said to
block 50% of the light, if you must be indoors, spend your time near windows.
Replace fluorescent light bulbs in your home and workspace with
grow lights or "full spectrum" bulbs that are available in most
hardware stores. They are more expensive than regular bulbs, but well worth the
expense.
Use a specially designed light box. Many people find that they
benefit from using a specially designed light box. I have used one for years
and find it is absolutely essential – well worth the initial expense.
Light box options and information on how they are used can be found through an
Internet search.
Take good care of yourself in every way. Focus on eating healthy
food. Instead of eating those sweets that you crave, eat healthy meals that
contain lots of fresh vegetables, including root vegetables. Limit your intake
of sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Get plenty of exercise. Do things you enjoy.
Arrange to spend lots of time with loving family members and friends.
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