Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression caused by a lack of sunlight. It is most prevalent in the winter months when sunlight levels are low with December, January and February being the worst months for it. Approximately 7% of the UK population suffer from serious SAD whilst a further 17% suffer from a mild form. In this article I will be helping you learn a little more about this condition by providing you with an introduction to seasonal affective disorder.
To begin I will first describe how sunlight affects your body's production of the hormone melatonin. When the sun goes in at night this acts as a signal for your body to start producing and releasing melatonin. Melatonin makes you feel sleepy and helps your body shut down for the night. Then in the morning when the sun comes back out, the light acts as a trigger for your body to stop producing and releasing melatonin which helps you wake up. This is your body's normal process for regulating sleep cycles.
In the winter months sunlight levels are much lower with the sun coming out later and going in earlier. For some people these winter sunlight levels are not enough to stop the body from producing melatonin completely which can lead to the onset of seasonal affective disorder. SAD brings with it a number of undesirable symptoms including; problems concentrating, problems sleeping and varying levels of depression.
It is unknown why seasonal affective disorder only affects certain individuals but for those it does affect there are treatments available. Light therapy is one of the most effective options with research suggesting that 85% of SAD sufferers will benefit from this type of treatment. It involves using a specially designed light box and then being in a close vicinity to it for about two hours a day. For example, you could put the light box in your living room for two hours every evening.
I hope this article has given you a good overview of seasonal affective disorder. If you seem to feel extra tired or slightly down during the winter months you may even have a mild form of SAD yourself. Thankfully, it is treatable in the majority of cases with light therapy being a very good option. If after reading this article you feel you may have developed this condition then go and discuss your concerns with your doctor. SAD does not have to ruin your winter and with their advice it can be properly treated.
Author Resource:-
Tom Parker owns and operates a number of useful fitness resources and websites. You can learn more about seasonal affective disorder and get a free fitness tip every day of the year by visiting his websites.
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