When some of your friends appear to be irritable or grumpy these past few days, don’t be surprised. The four-month winter season is coming to an end right now. The days are shorter and colder from November to February, and the nights are longer and darker.
As the environment changes, many individuals really will quite often feel bleak and hopeless. Winter depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is the name of this mood disorder.
According to the SAD Association’s statistics, 500,000 people in the United Kingdom had some form of winter depression. In Sweden, doctors estimate that 20% of the population, or almost 2 million people, suffer from the disorder.
Norman E. Rosenthal is the US specialist who begat the term Miserable in 1984. Winter despondency has a sound clinical premise that includes changes in the body’s mindset focused welcomed by more limited light hours and an absence of daylight.
The majority of people with this depressive illness feel completely alone and isolated. The fact that many people experience the same gloominess at this time of year is the only consolation. It gives sufferers reassurance and comfort that they are not alone.
Light treatment, one of the best and clinically demonstrated medicines for Miserable has been displayed to help a few 80-85 percent of Miserable cases. Although the process may appear to be straightforward, it involves more than simply turning on a light and sitting next to it while twitching your thumbs while you wait for that renewed energy to boost your overall well-being.
A mere 200-500 lux (a lux is an illuminance unit), whereas a minimum of 2,500 lux is required to alleviate SAD symptoms, the average light in a home or office is ineffective. In contrast, the intensity of a clear summer day can reach 100,000 lux.
Several specially designed light boxes that produce precisely the right amount of illumination have been developed based on these measurements. Sitting in front of a computer or television for anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours can help alleviate SAD symptoms.
Light therapy may be the most effective strategy for treating SAD symptoms. However, for individuals with severe symptoms, treatment with psychotherapy and antidepressants may be necessary to address the condition’s underlying causes.
SAD is virtually unheard of in the tropics, but statistics show that as you move 30 degrees farther north or south, its incidence rises dramatically. Although it may appear impractical, traveling to countries near the equator can improve one’s mood and well-being.
When you watch movies set in warm, sunny, summertime locales, your mood dramatically improves. A movie that doesn’t have snow, palm trees, or clear blue skies might be good for movie therapy.
Watching outside sports like cricket or golf might create a similar state of mind improving results. On the other hand, excessive exposure to indoor bowling, darts, and snooker has been found to cause depression and catatonia resembling a trance, which can lead to complete mental health breakdown in severe cases.
