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    Winter Doldrums Got You Down? Here's How to Bounce Back

    HealthDay – Sat, Jan 28, 2012

    SATURDAY, Jan. 28 (HealthDay News) -- For some people a change in the seasons can trigger a loss of energy or even clinical depression, according to an expert who describes how to cope with seasonal affective disorder.

    The condition is caused by changes in ambient light, said Dr. Dan Iosifescu, director of the Mount Sinai Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program in New York City.

    "A gland in our brain provides a time signal, based on the amount of ambient light, to various parts of the body. Like a metronome, the gland responds to signals from light and uses those cues to orchestrate the day/night cycle," he said in a Mt. Sinai news release. "Ambient light helps our brain determine when our bodies need to be active mentally and physically and when our bodies need to rest. That cycle is thrown off when the days get shorter and darker."

    Iosifescu offered the following tips to help people overcome the winter blues:

    • Use extra lights. Turn on all the lights to help you wake up in the morning. In more severe cases of depression, a light therapy box, which simulates natural light, can be used for 30 minutes each day. Taking a walk outside on a particularly sunny day can also help.
    • Exercise. Working out can help ease depression and improve people's moods. Get a minimum of 30 minutes of vigorous exercise, at least three times each week.
    • Stick to a routine. Don't oversleep or avoid the outdoors because it's cold outside. It's important to maintain your normal sleep schedule and continue to make plans and try new activities.
    • Consider supplements. Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids can help battle depression, Iosifescu said. Other over-the-counter remedies such as St. John's wort may also have antidepressant effects.
    • Talk to your doctor. Seasonal affective disorder could be confused with a more serious case of depression. Visit your doctor if you have symptoms that are severe and persist for more than a few weeks.

    More information

    The U.S. National Library of Medicine provides more information on seasonal affective disorder.

     

    7 comments

    • KCP
      KCP  •  25 days ago
      I cannot BELIEVE this article made NO MENTION of the fact that a large (very large) percentage of Americans are low or severely deficient in Vitamin D (especially more in the winter.) Dr.'s are just now starting to add that test to your bloodwork. And the numbers of D deficient patients is startling.

      One cannot eat enough to produce a sufficient level of this pro-hormone. I was recently diagnosed as severely low (recommended range 40-90, I'm at 13) If you've been feeling the winter "blues" fatigued, body aches, bone pains and even some more severe symptoms, research Vitamin D deficiency. How something so simple could make one feel so crappy, blows my mind.

      The drug company's don't want us to figure out that a $6 bottle of Vitamin D3 will do more for making you feel better than all the pharmaceuticals they peddle.

      Don't believe me? Research it yourself. You'll be surprised.
    • no one
      no one  •  25 days ago
      these stories depress me.
    • Wolfen
      Wolfen  •  24 days ago
      Beer is the answer!!!
    • mike
      mike  •  24 days ago
      Winter doldrums HA I am moving to sunny central east coast Florida on Feb 5th!!!
    • Perry
      Perry  •  25 days ago
      Dont have to worry about winter doldrums anymore. Didnt you know? Global warming in full effect.
    • gary s
      gary s  •  25 days ago
      i dont see why anyone who can read the internet can feel bad for the weather. at least your able to be inside a house, we ought to think of people who are homeless and or hungry, imagine that, i bet your depression goes away. some of the reasons we americans are in the economic situation were in is because of the self induced pity party, and the lame excuses people come up with as a reason to see a doc and get anti depresants. this country has become a self absorbed bunch of people with no means to keep on fighting for themselves.i can almost understand why many countries dont like crybaby americans, stand up and dig down into your souls and stop whining and feeling sorry for yourselves. dont cry about your shoes be glad you have feet.
    • Mr. Zzyroringati
      Mr. Zzyroringati  •  25 days ago
      here's how to bounce back: stop reading these articles
     Post a comment
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