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There
is something special about sunshine at this time of year.
It
may be much weaker and less warming than during the summer months,
but that somehow makes it so much more precious.
But
when the weather turns bad eight hours of indifferent daylight can
make for gloomy conditions across Wiltshire.
Once
that happens many of us feel the ‘Winter Blues’ or Seasonal Affective
Disorder (SAD) coming on.
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| Lightboxes
can bring relief to SAD sufferers. |
It
may affect each of us in different ways but, generally speaking,
we feel lethargic and listless.
But
why should this be so? Before the advent of artificial lighting
we used to wake with the dawn and go to sleep when it got dark.
The
effects of disrupting that natural cycle are well known to jet-lagged
air travellers and to night shift workers.
The
hypothalamus in the brain registers changes in light entering the
eye to the retina. Decreasing light levels cause the hypothalamus
to adjust its response to various body mechanisms: sleep, sex drive,
temperature, mood and activity.
For
many of us the symptoms are very mild; sub-syndromal SAD affects
about 20 percent of the population, mainly during December, January
and February.
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| Modern
anti-depressants can help symptoms of SAD. |
For
these people the symptoms of lethargy, tiredness, sleeping and eating
problems are not serious and they soon pass with the arrival of
spring.
Between
one and three percent of people in the UK experience these symptoms
in a more acute form.
Physical
symptoms of erratic sleeping patterns, overeating and lethargy can
be accompanied by depression, irritability, mood changes and depression.
SAD
can affect anyone at any age but it appears that the 18-30 age group
is most at risk. Women appear to be twice as likely as men to be
sufferers.
There
are several approaches to treating SAD. The first is simply to ensure
that light levels do not drop significantly during the darker months.
Bright
light
Bright
light is the most successful form of treatment. Special ‘light boxes’
have a success rate of 60 to 85 percent but they require exposure
by the user for at least 4 to 8 hours per week.
Antidepressants
deal with the effects rather than the route cause. But some of the
newer Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, such as Prozac and
Seroxat, have proved successful when combined with light treatment.
For
those who suffer the milder form of SAD it is sensible to try to
get outside in what sunshine there is.
Sitting
close to windows, in well lit rooms can also help.
A holiday
can also work wonders for sufferers. The Canaries and Southern Spain
are both fairly sunny and cheap out of season.
And
skiers can testify to the power of a little sunshine at high altitude,
particularly in the Pyrenees and Sierra Nevadas. (But beware! Some
sufferers report a big downturn in their mood when they return from
the sunniest parts of the world.)
So
don’t let those Winter Blues get you down. They affect us all.
For
most of us the first signs of spring are all we need for our mood
to lift. For those who are more seriously affected then help is
available, and doctors are much more aware of the problem.
Help
and advice is available from:
SAD Association* PO Box 989 Steyning BN44 3HG.
*The
BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.
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