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| Vol. 24, No. 23 |
| December 15, 2002 |
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Lighten Up to Avoid “Winter Blues” As the winter days shorten and cause night to fall much earlier, many people will suffer from a bad case of the winter doldrums known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. However, an expert at The University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston says there’s light at the end of the seasonal tunnel. “It’s not unusual for people this time of year to feel a little blue. We spend the latter half of the day in darkness. Many people experience a very severe decline in mood to such a degree that they are depressed during the winter months,” said Michael Smolensky, Ph.D., professor of environmental sciences. “Some people are highly sensitive to light ... they’re more optimistic when it’s light, depressed when it’s dark. This may be related to how light affects the body’s circadian rhythms.” Winter SAD can bring on severe problems, Smolensky said. One in 20 to 25 adults experience recurring winter depression. Twice as many women as men develop SAD, mainly starting in their 20s. Young children may also be affected. People living in northern geographic regions are more often SAD sufferers than people who live closer to the equator. Smolensky, an expert on chronobiology – the science of body time – and co-author of “The Body Clock Guide to Better Health,” says SAD can cause full-blown depression, disrupting normal activities of life. “People with SAD may oversleep, feel fatigued or irritable, lose interest in work, school or socializing, and eat more sweets like carbohydrates,” Smolensky said. “This craving often leads to weight gain of 10 to 20 pounds.” Treatment options may involve antidepressant medications, timed exposure to intense light therapy and changes in sleep intervals. The good news, Smolensky said, is that SAD doesn’t last forever. “In spring when the sky is clear and the length of daylight span is increased, you probably feel fine because SAD tends to come and go about the same time each year. The disorder suddenly disappears.” – Jacqueline Preston
©2006 Texas Medical Center E-Mail: tmcinfo@texmedctr.tmc.edu URL: http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/12_15_02/page_05.html |