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

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Part 1: Shining a Light on SAD – Shorter Days & the Winter Blues

Winters can be long and dark, and for some people, the impact can be very intense. Up to a third of people in the United States experience a decrease in mood and energy during the winter. Scientific research has established that changes in light (shorter days, less intense sunlight, and later dawns) are the main cause of the winter blues. This can be called seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – a subtype of major depression that comes and goes based on seasons. SAD symptoms usually appear during late fall or early winter and stay until sunnier days come back, in the spring and summer. Symptoms can start out mild and become worse as the winter season progresses.

Our bodily processes rely in a large part on cues from visual light. Ideally, the sun alerts us to wake up, and nighttime darkness prepares us to retreat for sleep. The changes in quantity and schedule of light, including less winter light exposure, can throw the body’s internal rhythms out of whack, negatively affecting mood, energy, appetite, and mental acuity – creating the ‘blues.’

Melatonin plays a big part in controlling the body’s internal clock. A hormone that regulates sleep and wake cycles, melatonin is made from the same molecule that produces serotonin, an important neurotransmitter that helps create feelings of well-being. In the winter, longer nights cause the brain to produce and release more melatonin — at the expense of serotonin production. Without as much serotonin, people often end up feeling more down.

Follow our blog over the next week and a half to learn more about seasonal affective disorder, including:

• How it relates to diabetes
• Symptoms
• Treatments and small changes to lessen the impact

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/

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.