5 Ways to Handle Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Well, it's happened again. We traded in that extra hour of sleep last Saturday night for earlier sunsets for the next several months. You know the routine. You look at the clock expecting it to read 8:00 because a look out the window reveals pitch blackness. Instead, the clock reports something crazy like 5:45.
I don't know about you, but it honestly bums me out every year. It seems like piling on to take an hour of sunlight away during a part of the year when the days get shorter on their own by a few minutes each day. I'll admit it. I love the sunshine and the light. I love long days and warm weather.
Medical science calls this Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It is a very real condition affecting many people this time of the year. Estimates are that as much as nine percent of the American population suffers full-blown SAD. Perhaps as many as an additional 14% experience a milder, but still clinical condition. Most of us just feel a little blue because our months of outdoor activities are limited by the cold and the dark.The question is how do we combat these effects and keep our outlook positive? Obviously, people with a serious issue want to seek medical advice, but the rest of us can do a number of non-medical things to get us through the dim, murky depths of the Autumn and Winter seasons.
Light therapy - Scientists have discovered that many people have a physical reaction to light deprevation. This can be addressed by something called light therapy. Light therapy involves sitting or lying near a bright light for 30-60 minutes per day. The therapy is most effective when you sit or lie within 15 to 30 cm of the light. The light must be much brighter than ordinary lighting on the order of 2500 to 10,000 lux (wikipedia). Some results can be expected within a week, but it usually takes several weeks to see maximum results from this treatment.
Internal journey - In mythology, night, darkness, and winter all often symbolize death. This death is not necessarily literal, but metaphorical. The reference is to dying to the external. These concepts are often tied to the internal journey (i.e. going within) as opposed to looking without. We are a very outward looking culture. We draw our social cues, entertainment, and much of our self-understanding from outside. This is not and has not been true of all cultures through time. Be it prayer, meditation, or quiet sitting; the willingness to shut out all the distractions and noise for some period each day can yield tremendous benefits. Try taking advantage of the longer nights and reduced activity to explore within. You are likely to find your dreams, your motivations, and few ghosts awaiting your introspection. Make an adventure out of it. You might emerge in the light and warmth of Spring as a new person.
Positive thinking - Affirmations and other positive thinking tools become doubly important. Keep your spirits high and thoughts realistic, but forward looking. Regular use of affirmations or other positive thinking tools can help even out the mental valleys and mountains experienced this time of the year.
Positive change - For those of you into gardening, you know all about planting bulbs in the ground this time of the year. You plant a dormant bulb in the Fall. The bulb spends the winter transforming and emerges in the Spring as something beautiful. Think of yourself as a bulb. Plant who you are today and then work all winter on changes you've been wanting to make in your life. Build a plan complete with goals and actions to get you there. By Spring, you will emerge as something new and amazing.
Hobbies - Throw yourself into a hobby. All summer long you were wishing for a free weekend to get to some indoor activity you really enjoy. Now is the time. Don't procrastinate! Your hobby keeps your mind focused and engaged and passes the long dark hours until Spring.
The bottom line is that there is no reason to be SAD this time of year. There are steps and techniques to deal with the psychological effects of this time of year. Who knows, you might even reach a place where you actually look forward to setting back the clock.
Have a peaceful and productive Monday!
Ray