How to Prevent Seasonal Depression From Making This Winter Even More Miserable
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is real, but there are ways to ward it off.
I live in the Chicago area, where the sun sets around 4:30 PM in January. The cold isn’t what bothers me so much as the endless overcast days we often receive.
It’s not just in my imagination. I did the research. The months of December through February average three hours of sunlight per day. That’s not a lot of sun.
No wonder I get despondent sometime around the middle of January. Winters here are long, and the summer can seem so far away.
I know the lack of sunlight affects me. As does having to bundle up to step outside for even 10 minutes. I usually get through as best I can with things that cheer me up, like the hot sauna at my gym, meeting a friend for coffee, a hot yoga class, a dinner out, or taking my daughter out for lunch and a movie.
But my usual pick-me-ups are strictly off-limits if I don’t want to risk catching Covid or spreading it to my family.
The good news is, the Covid vaccine is here and it seems very promising. I’m feeling hopeful we might have some return to normalcy by summer. But there will simply not be enough vaccine this winter to get us to safety.
If we want to avoid catching this disease right before the vaccine is made available to all of us, it will have to be a winter without the usual routines. For my family, this means no restaurants, no gatherings, no movie theaters, no trips, and no hot sauna in the gym.
I’ll admit, I’m a little worried about making it through this winter. I have spent a lot of time outdoors since last March. And I already know I’m affected by a lack of sunlight.
I’m worried about getting hit by a double whammy of isolation and seasonal depression in the coming months. What I don’t want is to fall into a depression that leads me to make bad choices this winter.
If you think you may suffer from seasonal depression, this is not the winter to ignore it. Let’s take a look at what it is and what we can do to help ourselves.
How do I know if I have seasonal affective disorder (SAD)?
SAD is a pattern of depression that occurs seasonally, beginning in late fall or winter and ending in the spring.
Symptoms include:
- Overeating (especially carbohydrates)
- Oversleeping
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Anxiety
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feelings of depression
You can tell the difference between SAD and a depressive disorder by the timing. If you only have the depressive symptoms during the winter months, but you feel fine during the spring and summer, you most likely are suffering from seasonal depression.
What causes it?
Scientists don’t know exactly, but they believe the lack of sunlight triggers it. Some of their theories are:
- Lack of vitamin D. Our bodies produce vitamin D from exposure to sunlight. With less sun in the winter and less time spent outdoors, we may experience vitamin D deficiencies. Vitamin D affects serotonin, which affects our moods.
- Biological clock. When the sun sets early in the winter our biological clock changes. Biological clocks regulate sleep, moods, and hunger. A shift can make it harder to regulate moods.
- Melatonin. Melatonin is the sleep hormone. We may have too much of it in the winter due to lack of sunlight, which can cause us to feel sluggish and overtired.
- Naturally low levels of serotonin. People with lower levels of serotonin may be more susceptible to getting less of it in the dark winter months, which can trigger depressed feelings.
- Negative mindset. Do your negative feelings cause your depressed mood, or is your depressed mood caused by your negative feelings? It can be hard to pinpoint the cause and effect in these sorts of cycles.
What are the risk factors?
- Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with seasonal depression
- The further you live from the equator, the more you are at risk of SAD.
- If you have a history of depression, you are more likely to be triggered by SAD.
- A family history of SAD makes you more likely to experience it.
Why is this year (in a pandemic) likely to be harder for people with SAD?
Many of the things we do to stay mentally healthy are off-limits during a pandemic. Social interaction is limited. Many are already stressed going into winter from things like job losses, income reduction, illnesses, and helping kids with online learning.
And when we do go out into the world, everyone (hopefully) is masked and social-distancing. It’s hard to get away from the reality of what we are going through.
So if you’re already reeling from psychological stressors, you are more likely to be triggered by the effects of seasonal depression. Add to that, people who are staying home more often are missing out on little doses of sunlight they may have normally received walking to and from their cars when they were out and about.
How to treat SAD?
There are ways of dealing with the lack of sunlight and the hormonal imbalances we get during the winter.
Light therapy. Experts have found the most effective treatment for SAD is light therapy. Early morning sunlight is best. You can get this naturally by going outside shortly after you wake up.
However, if it’s freezing and overcast and the last thing you want to do is leave your warm house, you can invest in a lightbox. The Mayo Clinic recommends that you check with your doctor first to determine what type of lightbox is best for you and how often to use it.
Typical recommendations for using lightbox therapy are:
- Find a box that emits 10,000 lux of light and is UV-free.
- Use it for 20 to 30 minutes within the first hour you wake up.
- Don’t look at it directly.
- Keep it about 24" away from your face.
They aren’t expensive. I found one for $39.99 on Amazon. I like the one I bought, but I have no affiliation with this brand. There are many similar ones to choose from. Mine has a timer and it’s fairly compact. I use it for around half an hour while I’m drinking my coffee and checking emails in the morning.
Vitamin D supplements. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to depression. If you aren’t getting much sunshine, you can eat vitamin D rich foods and add a supplement. Foods high in vitamin D include salmon, egg yolks, mushrooms, canned tuna, and fortified foods like orange juice, milk, and cereals.
If you take a supplement, don’t go over 600 to 800 IU per day without checking with your doctor. Some people may need higher doses if they have trouble absorbing vitamin D, but for most, 600 to 800 IU should be enough.
Exercise. Exercising regularly helps prevent any type of depression, including seasonal depression. Exercise increases energy levels and produces feel-good endorphins. It also helps you sleep better at night and reduces anxiety.
See your doctor. Sometimes home remedies don’t work and you need a little extra help. See your doctor if you feel you need medication for your depressive symptoms. Your doctor may prescribe antidepressants or therapy. You don’t have to go in-person for therapy treatments. Many psychologists and counselors are offering virtual visits these days.
This is my first winter of trying light therapy. I am hoping it helps. I am also going to do my best to eat healthily and exercise regularly. Also, it’s been easy to let friendships drift away since we can’t see each other and I feel I never have anything new to share anyway. But one of my resolutions is to reconnect with some old friends. At the beginning of the pandemic, I had weekly zoom meetings set up with friends, but over the months, we have let that go. I plan to get those going again for some social interaction.
If you’re feeling depressed, whether you think it’s seasonal or something else, don’t hesitate to get help. Your doctor can assist you with what the best treatment options are for you. Don’t think you’re alone, and don’t let negative feelings get out of control. There is help.
If you don’t know where to go for help, you can start with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s national helpline. They will assist you with finding local therapists, support groups, or community-based organizations.
