What to do for SAD

Do you long for the spring and/or summer season?

Do you live in the Northeast?

image taken from nutrivize website

Have you ever been diagnosed, or do you think you might have, Seasonal Affective Disorder?

It strikes in the winter months (December 21-March 20)

I thought I had it about 10 years ago when my youngest was a preschooler. Yes I live in the great Northeast...in the Albany, NY area.  Where winter is indeed a full 3 months and sometimes the days are grey and damp/chilly beyond that last week of March.  But.....

My doctor said No but she did say I probably was lacking in Vitamin D (yup.....it was confirmed by a simple blood test) and Calcium.

Here are the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, otherwise known as SAD.

• depression/"the winter blues" to the point where you don't feel like getting out of bed in the mornings
• not being able to cope with work
• not being able to cope with your family
• irritability
• anxiety
• loss of energy
• social withdrawal
• oversleeping
• weight gain
• appetite changes
• loss of interest in activities once enjoyed

3-5 % of the population tend to have SAD and about 20% have "winter blues" (I tend to fall in this category, although since starting back to the classroom full time, I haven't experienced the "blues" the last 2 winters)

Light therapy can be effective but so can the following items.

If you think you suffer from SAD, see your doctor and try some of these techniques.  I do them on a regular basis now and my mood has been much lighter this past winter....yes, even with the late winter snow we got yesterday!!

TECHNIQUES TO TRY FOR SAD

• Be social:  have a couples game night or ask neighbors over for a wine and cheese tasting event in your home....or have a movie night and everyone brings a healthy snack/dessert.  If you're a stay at home mom, GO OUT in the morning....go to the library, grab a coffee with another mom friend, walk together in the mall.

• Work-Out:  move those muscles!!  This will help your endorphins to kick in and makes for a happier mood...and it will improve your appearance and overall strength!
• Volunteer:  lead a small group in your home or at church, volunteer to teach Sunday School or help at church or school.  Volunteer your time in a nursing home doing crafts or help out at your local library in the children's wing.  There are all kinds of volunteer opportunities.
• Try Something New: take a cooking class or painting class; sign up for ballroom dance lessons with your spouse, learn a new language or improve the one you took in high school/college; try a new genre of books, blog, create photo albums/memory books, learn to knit, play piano or other musical instrument, learn to ski or snowshoe/winter hiking; learn the books of the Bible in chronological order....anything you've never done before!   What did I learn this winter that was new to me?  I started reading biographies or autobiographies AND I started learning Pilates!!
• Get the Right Nutrients and Vitamins: eating well can help your mood! Eat some comfort foods like homemade soups..they actually warm your body.  Make sure you are getting plenty of Vitamin D and Omega 3's..this helps to stabilize your moods.  Too many carbs and sweets will make you feel sluggish and will cause weight gain. My goal for March and April is to really cut down on carbs. I just love them too much and......I'm learning to cut way back on them!
• Drink Water: Dehydration is a big cause of depression! Our bodies need water. Keep drinking it and your body will start to crave it. (it's true....I drink water all day with fresh lemon or lime slices. My body actually WANTS it in all 4 seasons). Sometimes people grab food thinking they are hungry, when actually, they are thirsty!
• Bring Color into your Life: Wear bright colors and bring flowers into your rooms.  Add bright, colorful pillows to your family room sofa, living room chairs, and on your bed!  I decorate with bright red berry branches in clear glass jars for the winter months and start putting out silk crocuses in mid-March.  It's fun to decorate with color. And this goes for your wardrobe too! Add bright colorful scarves to your black work attire.

• Use positive affirmation: find positive things to say about your self.  Meditate and pray. Read Scripture and fill your mind/heart with His Truth.
• Dust off your Cookbooks:  Try some new menus, look up new, healthful recipes online (I like Simple and Delicious and allrecipes.com)  Get creative with some of your favorite foods! I'll be posting a Mexican menu that my family enjoys in the winter months...and it's healthy for you!
• Keep in Touch with Loved Ones: write an old-fashioned letter, make a phone call, reconnect with people you don't get to see often.  This can cheer both parties up and it's fun to get mail the old-fashioned way!!

Whatever you do, stay in the Word.....there is nothing like the Love and Power of God to help you on your journey.

and think Spring!!

In a couple of days, I will be posting about the importance of mental health and how to maintain a lighter mood in the dark, dreary days of late winter.

please note: the above information (symptoms and techniques in bold, large print) is taken from the Albany Times Union newspaper Thrive section D, page 1-2. 9 March 2013. Article orginally appeared in HealthyLife magazine.  all other technique ideas are my own.