Help! I have Seasonal Affective Disorder

Well it seems like an appropriate time to write about this as my friends and I are joking that we live in Mordor. It poured rain for the past 24 hours, nothing but rain in the forecast, and the shortest day of the year is fast approaching- December 21st- 8.5 hours of daylight. So what's a Seattlelite to do? How can we get through it? How did you guess, Traditional Chinese Medicine can help. Acupuncture helps to restore the balance between yin and yang and promote the movement of qi, thus preventing stagnation and its nasty symptoms. Winter is a time of yin stillness and restoration, and while this is an important cyclical aspect of nature, certain individuals struggle with the associated darkness. I will share more information that can help. I have included an explanation of SAD as discussed in Acupuncture Today, followed by some useful lifestyle tips. Hope this helps~

"Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression, is a debilitating problem that interferes with the quality of life of thousands of patients, especially during the fall, winter and early spring.

This syndrome seems to be a worldwide phenomenon and occurs cross culturally, especially in countries far from the equator. Clinical symptoms that reappear regularly with the seasonal changes include lethargy; difficulty concentrating; depression; negative thoughts; elevated cravings for carbohydrates with corresponding overeating and weight gain; hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness); tiredness in the morning; diminished libido; and decreased social interaction. Patients typically become more anxious by the end of the summer as they anticipate the coming months, during which less sunlight is present and their symptoms return.

Clinical experience reveals that patients may have other mental problems as well, such as substance abuse disorders, personality disorders and anxiety disorders, which as comorbdid conditions, further exacerbate the degree of the SAD patient's symptoms. Flaws and Lake define SAD as "a variant of bipolar disorder characterized by cyclic manic, depressive or mixed mood states that are somehow triggered by external clues to changing seasons, including principally, increased or decreased day length. Individuals with SAD tend to become depressed during the autumn months and manic during the springtime."¹ This is a complicated disorder that may accompany many severe illnesses such as cardiovascular and endocrine disease, and for which a patient should seek qualified professional help. Seasonal affective disorder does, however, respond well to treatment with Oriental medicine." Acupuncture Today, April 2003 by Skya Abbate

As a sun junkie somehow living and thriving in this soggy mess, I can appreciate the challenges of our winters. Here are some things to help get you through:

1) Receive regular acupuncture to boost and balance energy and support mood.

2) Exercise. In whatever way you can manage, and enjoy :)

3) Get outside. Put on your goggles, raincoat, ski boots, snowshoes, or not- and breathe in the fresh air and soak up any daylight you can.

4) If the sun comes out, so do you. Spend some time getting your Vitamin D.

5) Take Vitamin D. We will be adding Thorne Research Vit D to our herbs/supplements at The Pin Cushion.

Vitamin D is also known as the "sunshine vitamin" because the body manufactures the vitamin after being exposed to sunshine. Ten to 15 minutes of sunshine 3 times weekly is enough to produce the body's requirement of vitamin D. However, many people living in sunny climates still do not make enough vitamin D and need more from their diet or supplementation.

The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine recommends the following dietary intake for vitamin D as cholecalciferol. (One microgram of cholecalciferol is the same as 40 IU of vitamin D.)

Infants

• 0 - 6 months: 5 micrograms per day (mcg/day)
• 7 - 12 months: 5 mcg/day

Children

• 1 - 13 years: 5 mcg/day

Adolescents and Adults

• Males and Females age 14 to 50: 5 mcg/day
• Males and Females age 51 to 70: 10 mcg/day
• Males and Females age over 70: 15 mcg/day

6) Do your best to avoid overeating and gaining excess weight, as this will increase fatigue and decrease mental clarity.

7) Rest! Bears do it, so should you. Stay warm, don't expend extra energy to keep your internal fire going. Wear warm layers, take hot baths and showers.

8) Cultivate the relationships and things in your life that bring you joy. Enjoy the warmth of friends and family.

The days will soon be getting longer friends!