Seasonal Affective Disorder

I consider myself a pretty happy person. Most of the time I think I'm pleasant to be around and a fun person. But, I have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which means that I get a little depressed (Mitch would probably add grumpy, tired, and negative) during the winter. SAD is depression that comes during the winter months because of a lack of sunlight. Doctors aren't 100% sure what the cause is, but most think it's genetic. Some people are also prone to it if they live in areas with less sunlight (like Europe). I think I have it because of genetics (pretty sure my dad has it) and because of the 18 months I spent on my misison in the Baltics. Some of the common symptoms of SAD are

• Sadness, irritability, moodiness, or anxiety
• Sluggishness, Loss of interest in usual activities
• Eating more, craving carbs, weight gain
• Sleep more and feel drowsy during the daytime

Let me just tell you that I have all of those symptoms during the winter (minus weight gain, and that's only because I bust my butt at the gym several times a week). Some of the recommendations to fight SAD are

• light therapy
• cognitive-behavioral therapy
• regular exercise
• eating healthy, avoiding carbs and sugars, drinking more water
• anti-depressants

You can check out these sites for more info on SAD by clicking here and here. This year I decided I wasn't going to be depressed during the winter. I bought a light lamp to try light therapy. I've been sitting in front of it most mornings for at least 30 minutes. It has made such a difference. I still have some bad days, but this winter has been much better than last winter. Thanks, Mitch, for putting up with me when I'm a grump. And thanks for always turning on my light lamp every morning before I wake up. That helps me a lot. I'm sorry for letting my sun-deprived brain get the better of me. :)