SAD-Season Affective Disorder Time is Here!
Winter is almost here and I can already feel the low, draining energy in the air as the temperatures drop!! According to the Mayo Clinic, Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression that affects a person during the same season each year. If you get depressed in the winter but feel much better in spring and summer, you may have SAD.Anyone can get SAD, but it is more common in:
-People who live in areas where winter days are very short or there are big changes in the amount of daylight in different seasons.
-Women.
-People between the ages of 15 and 55. The risk of getting SAD for the first time goes down as you age.
-People who have a close relative with SAD.
What causes SAD?
Experts are not sure what causes SAD, but they think it may be caused by a lack of sunlight. Lack of light may upset your sleep-wake cycle and other circadian rhythms. And it may cause problems with a brain chemical called serotonin that affects mood.
What are the symptoms?
If you have SAD, you may:
-Feel sad, grumpy, moody, or anxious.
-Lose interest in your usual activities.
-Eat more and crave carbohydrates, such as bread and pasta.
-Gain weight.
-Sleep more and feel drowsy during the daytime.
-Symptoms come and go at about the same time each year. For most people with SAD, symptoms start in September or October and end in April or May.
This year I plan on buying a light box that simulates sunlight. Check out this one on Amazon-http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001ATEJ2/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=
I am also going to take a vitamin D supplement, fish oil, and get plenty of exercise. Be sure to get your vitamin D levels tested to see if you are deficient!
Here are a few supplements I recommend:
Vitamin D- (whole food sources)
Megafoods Vitamin D3
Garden of Life Raw Vitamin D3
Fish Oil-
Carlson or Nordic Naturals Brands- I like the liquid but if you don't like a fishy taste you have the option of buying softgels. These brands are high quality, molecularly distilled, tested for purity and free of contaminants.
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