Aah, the Fall and Winter Holiday season, a joyous time of year for some and a time of SADness for others. SAD is also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder which affects individuals during the fall and winter seasons, but why? Zuckerman (2020), researched that the National Institute for Mental Health found that light has a direct correlation with how it affects the average person’s mood. This gives evidence as to why SAD happens mainly during Fall and Winter and not in Summer or Spring because Winter and Fall display less sunlight than other seasons. The brain does this by light coming into the retina and stimulating the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells that contain melanopsin which regulates our internal clock.
Zuckerman (2020), also found that through the study of mice, the change of light takes at least two weeks to dysregulate the mood. Therefore, most people diagnosed with SAD have no idea they are affected until weeks after the light is disrupted. How can someone with SAD manage? Here are a few tips: One is to speak with your healthcare provider about your symptoms, two is to ready your mind and body for the fall and winter months, and three would be to make time for social activities and have a self care routine. There are many other ways to help combat seasonal depression, be sure to speak with your healthcare provider.
Reference:
Zuckerman, H. (2020, December 7). How Does Sunlight Affect Our Mood?
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