How To Stop Seasonal Affective Disorder (before it starts)

The good news is, Fall is the season of pumpkin spice and cool mornings and colorful leaves and crisp apples and football playing on TV every Saturday. I LOVE Fall!!

The bad news is, our days are growing shorter and colder and darker so Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is right around the corner. SAD is a type of depression that rears its ugly head during the winter months as a result of the changing seasons and decreased sunlight which affects the body’s normal circadian rhythm.

Come the winter months, I definitely struggle with SAD.

SAD presents with many of the typical symptoms of depression that are MORE than life’s ups and downs:

• depressed mood

• decreased interest in activities

• feeling irritable or anxious

• feeling hopeless or guilty

• trouble concentrating

• feeling tired or sleeping more

• craving carbohydrates

• physical symptoms like headaches

• thoughts of suicide

So, what do we do? Is there anything we can do NOW to prevent completely falling off the rails in the new year?

Yep. Here’s what I would tell my patients (and what I’ll be practicing for myself):

1. Stay Active: Regular exercise is a great way to boost endorphins which can counteract the serotonin and dopamine deficiencies associated with SAD. Pick an activity you enjoy and aim for 30 minutes five days a week.

2. Make Healthy Eating Choices: Yes, carbs sound amazing. And you can have them! But try to incorporate a fruit or vegetable with every meal or snack as well as lean protein in the form of chicken, fish, beans, or nuts. Stay away from fast food and overly processed foods as much as possible to reduce inflammation in the body which can be a risk factor for depression.

3. Prioritize Connection: Regular connection with your support system can help counteract your symptoms of depression. Talk on the phone or video chat with a friend or schedule regular walks with a neighbor. It’s cold out, but you don’t have to spend these winter months in hibernation alone.

4. Get OUT and Get Some Sunshine: Make it a point to get outside every single day. Take your lunch outside. Go for a walk. Get some snowshoes if you need to! Many of our SAD symptoms may be a result of lack of sunshine and may be connected to low vitamin D levels (which our bodies make in the skin through regular exposure to sunlight). Bundle up and aim for 15-30 minutes every day!

5. Maintain an Adequate Vitamin D Level: You may need to take a supplement during winter months. Shoot for 800IU of vitamin D through a combo of your diet and supplementation every day.

If you’ve struggled with SAD in the past, it might be a good idea to schedule an appointment with your physician early in these cooler months. Treatment options are available, and you don’t have to struggle alone! Oh, and while you’re there, be sure to get a seasonal flu vaccine and updated Covid-19 vaccine if you need one!

It’s Fall, my friend. Let’s enjoy ALLLLL the pumpkin spice! But let’s also set ourselves up for success in the winter months. I’m right there with you…and we can do it together.