The Wellness Prescription

Are you SAD?

Shorter days make many people feel anxious, especially as to-do lists grow longer near the holidays. But if you're sleeping and eating more and you've felt depressed in past winters, you may have seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Decreased daylight causes a decrease in Vitamin D and a hormonal imbalance in millions of people each fall and winter that leads to depression. It can begin in October or November and becomes more severe in the winter. If you know someone who always seems to feel great in spring and summer, but down in fall and winter, it may be seasonal affective disorder.

In addition to its seasonal nature, noticeable symptoms are craving carbohydrates and being tired or sleeping more. These symptoms may be accompanied by decreased energy, sadness, weight gain, loss of interest in sex, withdrawal from friends and family or difficulty concentrating on and accomplishing tasks. It is most common in women and among people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, but can affect children and older adults too.

Fortunately, initial treatment for SAD is easy. People with seasonal affective disorder almost always respond to light therapy. Seventy to eighty percent significantly improve within a week. A study performed in Canada tested light therapy against the commonly prescribed fluoxetine (Prozac) for SAD patients. The study found that both treatments relieved symptoms equally well, but the light therapy worked much faster, showing positive results in less than one week! Phototherapy has no known side effects, other than the potential for overuse. When you compare that to the multiple known side effects of prescribed antidepressants it makes sense to try the natural alternative first.

Light therapy increases the amount of vitamin D produce by the body, but some people may need more vitamin D. That's where high-quality vitamin D supplementation can be very beneficial. If you're dealing with seasonal affective disorder and suspect your vitamin D level is low, work with a healthcare provider to test your levels to verify your vitamin D status, and then work to get them back up to normal. Some people may need to take between 2000-6000 IU per day for several weeks to reach adequate levels and reverse symptoms of SAD.

Regular exercise is also an effective way to combat seasonal affective disorder. Multiple studies have shown the effectiveness of regular exercise with regards to depression and enhance overall wellbeing. I encourage people to get outside in the sun. Take a daily walk, even if it's cold. One only needs to have 15 minutes of sun exposure on the face and hands to substantially increase vitamin D levels.

Lastly, proper nutrition is also vitally important, notably reducing simple carboydrates like pastries, pasta, breads, sodas, candy, etc. Choose whole grains and complex carbohydrates instead. In 1983 researcher Elliot Blass PhD. showed that sugar increased levels of serotonin (happy feel good chemical) and beta-endorphins (block pain chemical). Basically, comfort food allows people to eat away their physical and emotional pain. If you have SAD, your body will crave serotonin, and it's so easy to reach for refined carbohydrates and sugars that give you that good feeling. But those foods will only set you on a cycle of ups and downs with a negative effect on both your mood and your weight. Anything with white flour, white sugar, or processed chemical ingredients can set you up for cravings. So, put down the donuts and have a nice piece of fruit or a hot bowl of vegetable soup instead. There are plenty of ways we can make our favorite comfort foods from healthy ingredients. If you don't know where to start, ask us one of the Wellness Prescription practitioners near you for guidance.

Yours in Optimal Health

Dr. Ryan Bentley