How to Get Rid of Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Who hasn’t heard of the winter blues or the depressing feelings that come with being cooped up inside, inactive and even bored because of the cold weather? Well, there is a name for this feeling – seasonal affective disorder (yes, the initials are SAD). While many people simply battled through this in the past, the condition has become more widely recognized as a type of depression. Because of this change in attitude, it’s possible to take some steps to avoid SAD or reduce the intensity once the feelings begin.

Get Out!
One cynic came up with this solution: When you’re feeling down and out, get up and go in. To give this a bit different twist, if you’re feeling down and stuck inside, get up and go out. Or at least, get up and do something. Exercise will help as much as anything else you can do immediately. Our bodies produce a chemical that affects our mental state – serotonin. Activity, especially exercise, increases this production.

If you are in the middle of the summer season or it’s autumn and you have thought about (and dreaded) the upcoming winter, start now to plan activities and keep your social calendar full. Interacting with others is a definite step in the right direction when it comes to SAD.

To deal with SAD in additional ways, you should start with some of the “self-help” ideas above then try light therapy. Research seems to show that exposure to sunlight lamps when “trapped” indoors may reduce the body’s production of melatonin. Melatonin is a natural chemical that seems to be involved in onset of seasonal affective disorder.

Prescription and Herbal
Some people have found that prescription medications that focus on depression are just right for keeping SAD at bay. Many experts advise that medications be used only if exercise, outdoor activity and exposure to sunlight don’t have the desired effect. Natural remedies might include specific food items such as certain cereals, fresh fruits such as apricots or an herbal tea. It’s also best to avoid heavy carbohydrate intake as this seems to contribute to SAD. Some studies indicate that the chemical tryptophan (in the amino acid category) helps trigger the production of serotonin.

Diet and exercise may actually be the two most important factors in reducing SAD or eliminating it altogether. Eating foods that are heavy on the sugars and starches is a bad idea. These not only contribute to weight gain, they may cause you to feel sluggish and prevent you from engaging in the activity you need.

In summary, watch your food intake more closely and pay particular attention to the types of food you eat. Fresh fruits, whole-grain cereals and similar healthy items are good. Heavy foods, carbohydrates and sugar-laden items are not! If exercise and outside activities don’t make a difference, you may want to ask a doctor about medications. In some cases, talking to a counselor or psychologist can also help. Thinking patterns are an important factor in avoiding SAD.

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