What Helps With Seasonal Affective Disorder? - Coping With SAD

Photo of trees and ground covered in snow

When the weather drops colder, it brings with it darker mornings and afternoons. This, in turn, means that Seasonal Affective Disorder, occasionally known as “winter depression”, is likely to rear its head. Affecting one in 15 people in the UK, SAD is incredibly common – but what is SAD, and how do you cope with it? Keep reading to find out what SAD is caused by, how to know if you have it and what to do to help you cope in the more difficult months of the year.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is defined by the NHS as a kind of depression that comes and goes when seasons change. The symptoms are generally more noticeable in the winter, which is why it’s commonly associated with winter. However, some people with SAD might feel better in winter, with their symptoms becoming more severe in the summer.

Symptoms of SAD

SAD can be recognised through symptoms such as:

A persistent low mood
Concentration difficulties
A loss of interest or pleasure in your normal everyday activities
Craving carbohydrates and gaining weight
Finding it hard to get up in the morning and sleeping for longer than usual
Lacking in energy (feeling lethargic) and feeling sleepy during the day
Irritability
A decreased sex drive
Feelings of worthlessness, guilt and despair

This is in addition to potential depression symptoms such as tearfulness, feeling anxious or stressed, becoming less sociable and having low self-esteem. You may find yourself being less active than normal. However, the severity and nature of SAD varies from person to person. For some people, it may be severe, having a significant impact on their daily life; for others, symptoms may be mild.

Causes of SAD

The exact cause cannot be pinpointed, but it is commonly linked to reduced sunlight exposure in winter and autumn due to shorter days. It’s said that a lack of sunlight may stop the hypothalamus (a part of your brain) from working properly. When this happens, it can affect:

Your body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm): The body uses sunlight to help it time a number of important functions; this includes when you wake up. This means that the lower light levels in the colder months may disrupt your body clock, causing the symptoms above.
Melatonin production: Melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy. When you have SAD, your body may produce it in levels that are higher than normal.
Serotonin production: Serotonin is a hormone that affects your sleep, appetite and mood. A lack of sunlight can lead to lower serotonin levels; this is linked to feelings of depression.

In some cases, SAD appears to run in families. This makes it possible that some people are genetically more vulnerable to it.

When does it usually start & how long does it last

According to the NHS, symptoms of SAD tend to start in the autumn or winter, lasting until spring.

What is the best way to deal with SAD & avoid the winter blues?

Share your struggles – visit your GP

There are a number of ways you can look to ease your SAD symptoms. If you think you have SAD and are struggling to cope, the best course of action is visiting your GP. They will be able to carry out a mental health assessment based on questions about your mood, sleeping patterns, lifestyle, eating habits and thought or behaviour patterns. They will also check whether there’s anything within your family history that may make you more likely to have a depressive disorder.

Accept help from those around you

If you don’t feel like cooking, or exercising or cleaning seems overwhelming – two can be better than one. Whether you need someone to keep you accountable, help you do the activity or keep you company, you should accept help from friends and family whenever you need it.

Set realistic goals & be kind to yourself

Throughout these difficult months, it’s important that you don’t take on too much. Make sure to set realistic goals and take it one day and task at a time. Split larger tasks into smaller steps, and even if you just have one task a day, ticking that off will make you feel like you’ve achieved something. It may even make you want to complete more.

Ultimately, it’s important to be kind to yourself and celebrate any success – no matter how small you think it may be.

Get treatment

Your GP is likely to recommend one or a combination of a variety of different treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder. This will depend on how severe your symptoms are, and what they are, which they’ll find out using the assessment mentioned above.

Potential Treatments include:

Talking therapies, such as CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
Antidepressants
Light Therapy

Talking therapies

When it comes to talking therapies, your GP can help you find the option that’s right for you, based on the factors above. There are a number of options you can explore, including:

CBT, which helps you change the way you think about situations and how you approach them to help change negative patterns.
Counselling, which is where you talk about your problems or worries.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, which is where you talk about how you feel about yourself and other people. You will also talk about past experiences, to get a sense of whether anything in your past is affecting your feelings today.

Antidepressants

If your case of SAD is severe, or you have depression, you may be recommended to take antidepressants. However, there’s limited evidence to suggest their effectiveness in treating SAD. The NHS states that antidepressants are thought to be most effective if they’re taken before your symptoms appear, at the start of winter, and continued until spring. Your GP will be able to determine whether this is the right course of action for you. If it is, they’ll also be able to recommend a medication that suits your needs, and doesn’t interact with other medications you’re taking.

Light Therapy

Some people with SAD may find light therapy helpful. Essentially, it involves sitting by a special lamp (light box) for 30 minutes to an hour every morning. The idea is that it simulates the sunlight you’re missing, encouraging your brain to reduce the production of melatonin (sleepy hormone) and increase the production of serotonin (mood-related hormone).

According to The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) it’s unclear whether light therapy is effective. This is because it’s not considered a longer-term solution – it may relieve your symptoms at the time, but you’ll likely still be affected by the disorder the following year. It can also, rarely, cause side effects such as:

Tiredness
Eye strain or headaches
Changes to your sight, such as blurred vision
Sleeping problems (this could be prevented by avoiding light therapy in the evening)
Irritability or agitation

It may also not be suitable due to a pre-existing health condition. You should always seek advice from your GP before attempting to self-treat a mental health disorder such as this one.

Plan regular activities that you enjoy

Having regular activities planned in, whether it’s seeing friends or family, going to a concert or a winter market, can help with SAD. This is because it will give you something to look forward to, as well as assuring regular social contact and company from those we care about. Depression can make you withdraw socially, so planning activities can be a great way to avoid this. You may be dreading leaving the house, but once you’re at the social event surrounded by your friends, you’ll more than likely be glad you went.

That being said, planned activities don’t have to involve other people – seasonal depression can come with feelings of loneliness, and sometimes there may be nights where you have to be on your own. The key to motivating yourself to cherish your alone time is to make your evenings an event. Why not have a movie night with snacks and pre-chosen films, or tell yourself you’re going to make time for reading with candles on, or play video games? Whatever you enjoy, if you set time aside for it in advance you’ll have something to look forward to in the evening.

Mindfulness

When the weather is bleak, it can be difficult to find the positives. Setting even just 2-3 minutes aside every day to write out the things you’re grateful for and looking forward to each day can be key in elevating your mood even slightly. You may even find it helpful to write down tasks and events for the day ahead when you sit down at night, to help you look forward to the day ahead. Similarly, you could write down any thoughts you may have to get them out on paper for a clear mind before you sleep.

Guided meditation can also be great in helping you to appreciate yourself and the world around you, as well as helping with anxiety and stress. Similarly, listening to music that makes you feel happy, calm or safe can be a great way to brighten up your day.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet & get your vitamins

There are a number of ways your diet can affect your mood. For example:

Having low blood sugar: Can make you feel tired, depressed and irritable.
Being dehydrated: Can make it harder to think clearly or concentrate.
Eating more fruits and vegetables: Getting plenty helps keep us physically and mentally healthy.
Eating protein: A high protein diet can help regulate thoughts and feelings, as protein contains amino acids, which produces neurotransmitters in the brain.
Consuming caffeine: Can make you feel depressed and anxious, or disturb your sleep. It can even give you withdrawal symptoms such as irritability or depression if you suddenly stop having it.
Eating healthy fats like omega-3 and omega-6: Helps keep your brain working well.
Consuming alcohol: This can disrupt chemicals in your brain that are important for good mental health, as well as disrupting sleep.
Food intolerances or allergies: These can affect you physically or mentally.
Food and medication reactions: Some foods may be dangerous if you’re taking certain medications, causing side effects or making them not work as well as they should.

It may also be worthwhile to take over the counter Vitamin D during autumn and winter, as it’s much harder to get the required amount of sunlight.

You can make sticking to a healthy diet that much easier with methods such as:

Meal planning
One-pot recipes for less cleanup
Batch cooking
Stocking up on key ingredients
Getting shopping delivered

Get as much natural sunlight as you can

This can be as simple as making sure to sit near windows when you’re inside, or going on a short lunchtime walk. Exercise is great for depression as a whole as it helps boost your mood, and outdoor movement can be a great way to help with the seasonal variety. It’s important to choose something you enjoy, however, so you have the motivation to do it regularly.

You should also make your work environment as light as possible, as well as your home as a whole.

You can learn more about the benefits of natural light in our blog, or discover our selection of rooflights and skylights. Our wide collection includes:

They are designed to let in as much natural light as possible to make your space feel brand new.

You can also find bi-fold doors and sliding doors – perfect for creating a seamless connection with the outdoors.

Ultimately, if you’re struggling and finding it difficult to cope, you should always reach out to your GP. They will be able to give targeted advice surrounding potential treatments and things you can do to make your days that little bit easier.

FAQs

What is the root cause of seasonal affective disorder?

There is no clear cause of SAD. However, less sunlight and shorter days are thought to be linked to a chemical change in the brain. Your body naturally makes more melatonin, which is a sleep-related hormone, when it’s dark. This is why more is made when the days are darker and shorter in winter.

Can you get SAD in summer?

Yes, you can get SAD in summer. John Hopkins states that you can either get:

Summer depression: This is where symptoms begin in late spring-early summer. However, this is much less common.
Winter depression: where symptoms begin in late fall and go on through winter until spring/summer.

How to deal with a lack of sunlight?

There are a number of ways you can deal with a lack of sunlight, such as:

Visiting your GP
Sharing your struggles with, and getting help from, family
Setting realistic goals and not being too hard on yourself
Getting treatment such as talking therapy, antidepressants or light therapy, if needed
Practising mindfulness
Eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting your vitamins
Getting as much natural light as possible

Does taking vitamin D help with seasonal depression?

As it’s harder to get the right amount of sunlight in Autumn and Winter, taking Vitamin D can help contribute to serotonin regulation; serotonin affects your mood and your sleep. However, they will not help as a standalone method, and there isn’t enough research to suggest their effectiveness.

How can SAD be treated without drugs?

Antidepressants are often only prescribed in severe cases of SAD, but whether you’re on them or not, there are a number of natural methods to help ease seasonal depression. These are:

Sharing your struggles with, and getting help from, family
Practising mindfulness
Setting realistic goals and not being too hard on yourself
Getting talking therapy or light therapy
Eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting your vitamins
Getting as much natural light as you possibly can

What Helps with Seasonal Affective Disorder? – Coping with SAD