From today’s Daily Reading
Some winters here in Michigan it seems as if we can go for weeks without seeing the sun. The lake-effect snow sets in, and after day it’s dark and gloomy. Don’t get me wrong. We love the snow. We strap on those skis or snowshoes or hop on our snowmobiles and off we go. It is nice to see the sun once in a while though. It is the time of the year that some people get SAD – an appropriate acronym for seasonal affective disorder, because the symptoms include feelings of being tired, depressed, sad, and listless. Another name for the condition is seasonal depression. The symptoms set in about the same tie every year, usually late fall and winter, though occasionally some get the seasonal blues during spring and early summer.
What causes this seasonal sadness? Some say that the shorter, darker days result in the brain producing lower levels of some important brain hormones. Others suggest that levels of a neurotransmitter called serotonin may be in short supply. A powerful substance, it makes you feel good and has soothing, even calming effects. Yet another theory suggests that our eyes have a third class of light receptors (other than rods or cones) connected to a special region in our brain just above where our optic nerves cross over, aptly called the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). New data suggest that the SCN center of the brain effects our daily rhythms through hormone systems. Whatever the case, SAD is a reality.
Physicians often suggest bright lights for treating SAD. Obviously the best bright light is outdoors in the sunshine at a regular time every day. Since that is in short supply, the next best is bright artificial light, quality sleep, vigorous exercise and good nutrition, which all help. At times SAD is serious enough to warrant medication and psychiatric intervention. Thankfully, most of the time SAD goes away with the change in season and doesn’t pose serious health risks.