
Experts Reveal the Ways to Treat Your Seasonal Affective Disorder

Most people anticipate the coming of the Holiday Season. It’s the perfect time to be reunited with our family and spend our precious time building beautiful memories with them. It’s also the perfect time where we get to relax as the daylight savings time ends and we enter the cold Winter season.
As our days get shorter and the nights get longer, we look forward to having more sleeping hours and a peaceful routine, but not to some people. According to health experts, the end of daylight saving time triggers the increase of people being diagnosed with depression. How can you cope up with the Seasonal Affective disorder? Here’s what the experts have to say.
Light Therapy
Most people just want to get snowed in during the Winter season and curl themselves undet their covers. While this is highly tempting, the health experts say you should fight the urge to do so. According to Norman Rosenthal, MD, at Georgetown University, being alone and isolated in the dark will just trigger your depression.
You need to encourage yourself to go outside and see some light. Norman adds there will still be some days where the light still shines even during Winter days.

Encourage yourself to go outside and get exposed to light to lift up your mood.
So if you see the sun outside, take the opportunity to go outside and have a walk to get a ray of sunshine. The vitamin D you get will help lift up your mood. If there’s no light, then Rosenthal recommends you use light-emitting lamps or light boxes and stare at it in the morning.
According to studies, when the light hits your retina, it sends a signal to your brain to regulate your emotions, making it an effective treatment to elevate your mood especially for people with SAD. You can light up your room and get exposed to it at least 20-60 minutes a day.
Exercise
If you can’t get out due to the cold weather and it’s also dark outside, you can incorporate exercise as you get exposed to the light. According to health experts, working out is a great way to decrease your depressing hormones while alleviating your mood since it sends neurotransmitters in your brain to promote brain cells growth. Norman says it also has a meditative effect in your body and mind.
Take Prescribed Antidepressants

Before taking antidepressants, make sure to consult with your doctor first to determine the dosage you need to take.
If nothing else works and you feel as if you need medical and professional intervention, Dr. Norman says you can ask for help to take antidepressants. According to him, most people with seasonal affective disorder take either of these two popular prescription medicine: the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), and the generic bupropion (Budeprion and Wellbutrin). Both medicines help boost the serotonin levels in your brain.
But before taking these antidepressants, Dr. Norman recommends consulting with your attending physician first. According to him, it’s crucial to determine the right dosage for you to minimize its side effects. He also says these medicines may not work for everyone.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
If you want to try an alternative therapy without the need to take medicine, Dr. Norman recommends cognitive behavioral therapy. The CBT helps people with SAD replace their negative behaviors, feelings, and thoughts into something positive and optimistic. He adds the behavior you project during the Holiday season is also heavily influenced with your genetic makeup and perception. Dr. Norman says they can avert you from lingering on negative thoughts by incorporating your positive thoughts to doing something you enjoy like grabbing lunch with your friend or practicin yoga.
Don’t Eat Junk Foods

Eating junk and processed foods not only worsens your depression but it also triggers your guilt as you start gaining pounds due to its rich sugar and fat content.
Most people with SAD turn to eat sweet and starchy foods in an attempt to lift up their moods. However, Dr. Norman warns you against eating these comfort foods. According to him, this may lead to binging and emotional eating.
Not only do these unhealthy foods deteriorate your brain cells, but it also triggers the emotional guilt in you, thus, drowning you in depression even further. Aside from that, eating junk foods wrecks your blood sugar levels, causing you to gain more weight.
More in Mind & Mental
-
`
Scottish Doctors May Now Prescribe Nature To Their Patients
When you’re feeling unwell, it is perfectly normal to have that desire to feel better because no one wants to get...
April 19, 2025 -
`
Healthy Halloween Trick Or Treat Gift Ideas For Your Kids
Pumpkins, trick or treats, and different costumes are what is expected during Halloween! It’s the time of year when you can...
April 19, 2025 -
`
The Best Way To Have The Fittest Body Ever
You may not know it, but what goes into our stomach goes a long way in determining how we look. When...
April 19, 2025 -
`
A Bulletproof Plan For Alcohol Rehabilitation
Entеring rеhаbilitation can be a very effective way of rесоvеring from alcohol abuse. In this article, we’ll ѕhаre аlсоhоl rеhаbilitation ѕuссеѕѕ...
April 19, 2025 -
`
Telltale Signs That You’re in Dire Need of a Career Reboot
Are you stuck in your career ladder? Do you feel as if you’re not moving forward when it comes to your...
April 17, 2025 -
`
DRILL These Must Know Dos and Dont’s If You Want Healthy Skin
Everybody desires great skin. But flawless and blemish-free skin is worth a lot. Everyone wants to feel comfortable in their own...
April 17, 2025 -
`
Weird Reasons Why Your Weight Loss Diet Isn’t Working
Eating healthy food, drinking plenty of water, and working out every day but still not fitting into your favorite dress is a...
April 17, 2025 -
`
Wondering How To Lose Those Extra Pounds? Start Following These Weight Loss Tips
Over the years, it has been discovered that the habit and lifestyle of an individual has a lot to do with...
April 17, 2025 -
`
Alarming Steep Rise Of Depression Among Teenagers
Now that we’ve just commemorated the Mental Health Week, we have opened our minds and raised awareness to the importance of...
April 17, 2025
You must be logged in to post a comment Login