on the job
ou’ve made it through January and all the mixed feelings that can bring, but you’re still travelling to work and getting home in darkness, while the temperature outside continues to imitate a polar vortex – whatever that is. In short, there are plenty of reasons for people to get the blues at this time of year. But if you are feeling a bit low during these winter months, it could be more than just longing for another week off work. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a common condition. According to the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association (SADA), it affects around seven per cent of the population every winter, and is particularly prevalent during December, January and February. The symptoms for SAD are similar to other kinds of depression, with two key signs being feeling low and losing interest in ordinary things. Fortunately, there are several treatments available to reduce the impact of SAD. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends SAD sufferers are treated the same as any other person with depression, which includes being offered psychological treatments and/or antidepressants.
Y EXERCISE
One of the best ways to lift the mood is through exercise. With the dark, cold days, it’s easy to find a list of excuses not to get outside and enjoy a little physical exercise, but it’s important to remember the benefits and make these your motivation. When you exercise, endorphins are released and these can mask the feelings of pain, give a sense of wellbeing, lift mood and relieve feelings of depression. Next time you attend a fitness class, note the mood and atmosphere in the changing room prior and post the class. There will be much more cheer in the air following the workout.
If you lack motivation to do regular exercise, consider joining a class, running club or other sports group. The team ethos will help keep you on track and the camaraderie can also help beat the effects of depression.
LIGHT TREATMENT
Light therapy works by simulating the sunlight that SAD sufferers are particularly missing during the dark winter months. The additional light encourages the brain to
reduce the amount of melatonin it produces (which makes you sleepy) and increase the amount of serotonin (the mood affector).
Research shows light therapy is effective in up to 85% of diagnosed cases. The treatment itself involves being exposed to intense lights, which should be at least ten times the intensity of ordinary domestic lighting. The level of lighting is measured in the lux, with an ordinary light emitting around 200-500 lux, whereas the minimum dose needed to treat SAD is 2,500 lux. The treatment needs to be done daily during the winter months and involves sitting for several hours in front of specialist light boxes. While light boxes are not available through the NHS, they are VAT free when used for medical purposes.
ANTIDEPRESSANTS
If you have particularly severe symptoms and have exhausted other remedies, your GP may prescribe you a course of antidepressants. The most common is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), which increases the level of serotonin in your brain, helping to lift your mood.
A SAD CHECKLIST
If you are feeling a little off colour and suspect you may be suffering from SAD, here’s a checklist of some of the most common symptoms.
• Down and depressed • Less interested in doing things or delaying doing things • Loss of libido • Over-eating • Waking up in the night • Waking up too early • More tired than usual, heavy limbs, aching muscles or headaches
• Stomach problems, sweating, cramps, having to urinate frequently, dry mouth, sighing, heart palpitations, hyperventilating
• Feeling tense, irritable, worrying too much about little things
• Thoughts or speech are slow • Fidgety, restless, find it hard to concentrate • Paranoid and suspicious.
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