depression

Part 4: Shining a Light on SAD – 10 Ways to Give the Winter Blues the Boot

Rigorous scientific research has shown that winter’s shorter days, less intense sunlight, and later dawns are the main cause of the winter blues or SAD (seasonal affective disorder). The effects on individuals can be low energy, hypersensitivity, moodiness, and more. The great news is that there are some strategies for warding off and lessening the effects of a long winter.

10 Ways to Give the Winter Blues the Boot

1.     Light therapy. Try sitting or working near a light box to mimic sunlight and reset your body’s clock. A light box emitting full-spectrum light of 10,000 lux can decrease the duration of melatonin release in the brain while increasing serotonin and other positivity-boosting neurotransmitters. This allows the body’s regular rhythm of waking and sleeping to be restored. You might also experiment with using a ‘wake-up light’ alarm clock.

2.     Exercise. Exercise and other types of physical activity help relieve stress and anxiety and can energize your body and your mood by increasing dopamine.

3.     Medications. Some people with SAD benefit from antidepressant treatment, especially if symptoms are severe. If SAD is recurrent, your doctor may recommend starting treatment with an antidepressant before your symptoms typically begin each year (early- to mid-fall).

4.     Psychotherapy. Talk therapy can help with identifying and changing negative thoughts and behaviors, learning how to manage stress, and learning healthy ways to live well and cope with SAD.

5.     Food & supplements. Eating consciously can make a big difference in mood. Foods with lots of omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon and walnuts, help the brain use serotonin more efficiently. An omega-3 supplement can help keep the brain in balance. Taking a Vitamin D supplement can offset decreased sun. Avoiding simple carbs and maintaining stable blood sugar can also help.

6.     Make your environment sunnier and brighter. Open your curtains and blinds, trim tree branches and bushes that block sunlight from coming in your house, and sit close to bright windows as often as you can.

7.     Go outside. Take a walk, play with your dog, eat lunch at a park, or just sit on a bench and soak up the sun. Bundle up – even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help.

8.     Mindfulness. Energizing yoga practices and conscious, meditative activities can help increase mental clarity during dark days.

9.     Sleep. “It’s important to keep in sync with nature’s rhythms,” says Henry Emmons, MD, an integrative psychiatrist who recommends getting up at the same time every day, ideally between 6 and 8 a.m. This way you’ll have more chance to enjoy the sunlight that is available during the darker months.

10.  Appreciate the wonders of winter. Big dramatic skies, bright snow blankets, cold moons, and the warmth and coziness of going home. Give yourself some time to look around and feel the beauty of this winter season…that soon will make spring possible.

This is the last blog of the ‘Shining a Light on SAD’ series. To view the earlier posts, visit myhlms.com/blog. To subscribe to the Healthy Living blog, sign up at myhlms.com/subscribe

And great news - here in Michigan, we're having a sunny week!

Resources:

https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/managing-diabetes/emotional-health/beating-the-winter-blues/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/basics/definition/con-20021047

https://experiencelife.com/article/beating-the-winter-blues/

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Part 3: Shining a Light on SAD – Observing Patterns

For seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and other health complications, it can be hard to know what to watch for and how much to worry about symptoms as you try to figure out what is happening in your body. A good rule of thumb is to look for patterns in your feelings and behavior and notice how you are functioning over several days. Observe how your current behavior and feelings compare to your ‘normal’ or ‘summer self.’ If you feel down for days at a time and can't get motivated to do activities you normally enjoy, see your doctor.

Symptoms specific to winter-onset SAD include:

·       Irritability

·       Tiredness or low energy

·       Trouble getting along with other people

·       Hypersensitivity

·       Heavy feeling in the arms or legs

·       Oversleeping

·       Weight gain

·       Appetite changes, especially cravings for high-carb foods

Watch for our next and final blog about SAD to learn about treatments that have been proven to alleviate symptoms and other adjustments in daily life that can be helpful to chase off the winter blues.

Resources:

https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/managing-diabetes/emotional-health/beating-the-winter-blues/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/basics/definition/con-20021047

https://experiencelife.com/article/beating-the-winter-blues/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/basics/definition/con-20021047

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WE LOVE TO HELP.

  • Sign up for the Healthy Living Blog at myhlms.com/subscribe.
  • Call us @ (866)779-8512 or text us @ (248)577-9903.
  • Reach us through online chat at myhlms.com.
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  • Visit myhlms.com/providers to electronically complete and sign prescriptions for patients.

 

Part 2: Shining a Light on SAD – The Diabetes Connection

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons. SAD begins and ends at about the same time every year for most people: late fall or early winter. To say it simply, SAD saps energy and intensifies moods. Alternatively, SAD can cause depression in the spring or early summer – but this is much less frequent.

Although it is not known how many people with diabetes experience SAD or ‘the winter blues,’ clinical depression is significantly more common among people with diabetes than in the general population. This could be partially because diabetic retinopathy (a disease that affects blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye) can interfere with the transmission of the light signal to the brain, which may cause a year-round ‘blues.’

An article in Diabetes Management has other good insight about how SAD relates to insulin:

Since people with diabetes may experience symptoms similar to those of depression when their blood glucose levels are out of target range or are fluctuating greatly, this is a good area to examine first. Pay attention to whether your low moods, cravings, or feelings of irritability are accompanied by out-of-range blood glucose levels, whether they resolve when blood glucose levels return to normal, and whether they last minutes or hours versus weeks or months.

Winter blues expert and psychiatrist Dr. Norman Rosenthal observes that SAD sufferers tend to produce a surplus of insulin during the winter months; this excessive insulin production “appears to subside” with bright light therapy [more to come on this in Part 4 of this blog series] and with the advent of summer.

Exercise benefits people with diabetes by improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin. Physical activity can also help send the winter blues away. Numerous studies confirm what many of us have felt - vigorous exercise clears the head, helps generate energy, and boosts feelings of well-being.

Follow the Healthy Living blog for the next week to learn more about SAD, its symptoms, treatments, and lifestyle changes that can benefit those suffering with these winter blues.

Resources:

https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/managing-diabetes/emotional-health/beating-the-winter-blues/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/basics/definition/con-20021047

https://experiencelife.com/article/beating-the-winter-blues/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/basics/definition/con-20021047

WE MAKE MANAGING YOUR DIABETES SUPPLIES EASY.

  • We work with many insurance plan partners.
  • You can approve your refills via text or phone.
  • Our company’s focus is excellence in customer service.
  • In addition to providing supplies, we also have a mail-order pharmacy.
  • Diabetes is our specialty, and we’re prepared to help!

WE LOVE TO HELP.

  • Sign up for the Healthy Living Blog at myhlms.com/subscribe.
  • Call us @ (866)779-8512 or text us @ (248)577-9903.
  • Reach us through online chat at myhlms.com.
  • Check out our online store at myhlms.com/shop for accessories and over-the-counter medications.
  • Visit myhlms.com/providers to electronically complete and sign prescriptions for patients.