It’s springtime. The squirrels are coming out of their hidey holes and the daffodils are popping out of the ground. While you may think that you are coming out of your winter funk because of the squirrels now jumping out of your trash cans, I have another theory for you (even though it’s definitely the squirrels for me): the sun!
The difference in sunlight throughout the year effects people in different ways. The umbrella term SAD is used to group both the SAD that affects people in the winter and in the summer.
SAD: What Is It?
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, was first labeled in 1984 and now affects more than 5% of the U.S. population. It is believed that SAD happens because a lack of light slows the release of the chemical Serotonin in the brain, which affects mood. Eating sugary and carbohydrate-rich foods increases the release of serotonin which is why cravings and weight gain occur in the winter, a result of SAD. For more information click here.
What To Do?
A common and effective treatment is light therapy. Light therapy involves a light box that a person sits in front of for 20-90 minutes early in the morning, using 2,500-10,000 Lux light power.
Another common treatment is exercise. An elevated heart rate is known to improve mood, as long as you can motivate yourself to do it. A way to get around the motivation issue is to exercise in front of your light box, or to bundle up and go outside.
Also look at your diet and try to eat less sugary foods. The high from them will just wear off and leave you craving more (sound familiar?). For more information on what to do click here.
So Why Now?
You’re probably breathing a sigh of relief that the doom of winter is gone. But now, because you aren’t feeling the effects of SAD as much, it’s the perfect time to think about and create routines so that they’re easier to continue in those awful winter months. Make an exercise routine, invest in a light box, start eating healthier, and do all these things when it is easier.
SAD’s Less Common Sibling
With spring comes daylight savings, where we spring forward an hour. This results in the days becoming longer thanks to more sun, so the effects of SAD begin to lessen. Some people however, struggle with SAD effects in the spring and summer month. Even though this is a rarer form of SAD, it is still important to note. While we may be pretty aware of how the winter often brings people down, people as a whole are less aware of people who are down in the summer. Most of the treatments for this are things like planning ahead, working to not overload yourself, resting, and keeping up your normal routines. Find out more here.
Even with 10% of the people in the US who experience SAD experiencing reverse SAD (meaning it occurs in the spring/summer), it is not uncommon to experience a kind of depression in the summer.
Even I struggle with this kind of depression. Going home in the summer from school is such a dramatic change of pace, scenery, and social life that I struggle finding a routine. For some, summer days are less full and that can leave people feeling empty and alone. The effects of SAD in the summer is
often heightened because people feel like they shouldn’t be depressed in the summer.
Cures For The Springtime Blues?
The most important thing to remember is that summertime depression is no less important than any other kind, and it still warrants talking to someone if that is what works for you. However, there are other things you can do to try and boost your mood. Plan ahead so that vacations, gatherings, and schedule changes don’t affect you as much. If part of summer depression is self-consciousness about body issues, find an outfit that you feel really confident in and plan to wear that when you feel super down. Don’t let the increased light of the summer take away from your sleep and resting time. The most important thing to do however, is to not beat yourself up over feeling this way; it’s really okay and you can get through it.
While I may love the squirrels, adjusting to all the changes of the summer is difficult. Often this brings some trepidation, nervousness, and at times, depression. However, I try and keep myself focusing on the things that don’t make me nervous. For me, I like to pick one thing to do over the summer that I can keep myself excited about and can focus on planning.
Whether you struggle with winter or summer SAD, or know people that do, it is important to recognize the symptoms, deal with them in the best ways for you, and not get upset at yourself for feeling this way.
