Seasonal Changes and Your Mental Health
Q&A with a Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) about Seasonal Changes and Mental Health
“Life isn’t just about darkness or light, rather it’s about finding light within the darkness.”
LANDON PARHAM
Human beings are social and relational creatures who often are influenced by our environment, especially when that environment starts to change. And while we’ve come a long way in terms of advancing technology and making our lives more adaptable and comfortable, we can’t control the seasons any more than we can change the flow of time. While the leaves continue to fall and the snow begins to blanket the ground this time of year, many of us are still susceptible to the internal influences these transitions produce inside of us.
This month we are talking with Cherry Tree Counselling’s Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) Amy Commanda, about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a mood concern that impacts many individuals during the change of seasons (not just winter). Read on to learn more about seasonal mood changes and their impact on our mental health.
Q: Does the changing of the seasons affect people’s mood?
Absolutely!
There are emotional, social, and neurological responses to the changing of seasons that can impact how you feel and how you function. How do you feel on a sunny vs. rainy day? You may react more positively to a sunny day than a rainy one. Part of that is about how we’re socialized to feel and respond to the weather, but it’s also linked to the biological processes that happen within us.,
So, whether it’s a general dislike of the colder months and missing the hotter, more enjoyable summer days, to having difficulty adapting to the lack of sunlight and changes to our circadian rhythms, we are connected to our environment. For some of us, our mood may be affected by those changes more deeply than others. This is why talking about this topic and educating ourselves is so important!
Q: How can seasonal changes impact mental health?
Seasonal changes can impact your mental health and overall well-being in a few different ways.
In terms of physical effects, you may feel more fatigued and sluggish and want to sleep more due to the changes in your circadian rhythms as well as Daylight Savings Time. While it may be hard to fight the urge, trying to keep a consistent routine and not oversleep is important.
You may also feel the need to consume more carbohydrates to keep your body temperature up in the colder months. Carbohydrates are also vital for their source of an essential amino acid called tryptophan which aids the production of serotonin (the happiness and optimism hormone), however, prioritizing a mindful balance of both simple and complex carbs will help in preserving your stress levels.
Q: What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD) is listed in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) as Major Depressive Disorder with Seasonal Pattern, meaning that it is a form of general depression with similar symptoms which recur during specific seasonal times of year (typically around Fall and Winter) and relieve themselves when the weather changes again.
Q: What are some of the signs of SAD to look out for?
Typical signs of SAD include:
Mood changes where you notice yourself consistently feeling down or sad, lack of energy, sleeping more, craving more carbohydrates, and feelings of hopelessness amongst others.
Keeping these signs in mind, it’s important to cultivate an awareness of your baseline emotional and physiological well-being so that you can take note of anything that seems outside the norm for you.
Q: What are some other seasonal issues that can impact us?
It’s not just the arrival of another dreary winter that can affect us, it can be more specific issues associated with this time of year as well.
Daylight Savings Time can really do a number on us, even though we are gaining that extra hour – we can be really thrown off course. Less daylight each day can also impact your mood as it’s known that we produce more melatonin (the sleep hormone) during colder periods of the year. Consequently, the body uses serotonin to help produce more melatonin which can sap our happy feelings.
We also must take into consideration the social stressors that occur this time of year, namely the pressures of the holiday season and how factors such as financial and family/relationship stressors might come into play.
Q: How can I manage or cope with these seasonal issues?
There are many natural and habitual adjustments you can make to lessen the impact of the changing seasons.
You might consider keeping your serotonin levels up by engaging in activities such as exercise and making adjustments to our diets by including complex carbs such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains (which can also increase vitamin D levels!).
Maintaining a consistent routine to your day can also be helpful, as can regulating sleep schedules to keep your internal clock on track. And spend as much time as you can absorbing natural light, especially in the morning.
Alternative therapies such as aromatherapy, may help with improving mood with many essential oils promoting a calming effect or increasing focus and alertness.
Q: What kind of treatment is there for SAD?
Taking a proactive approach to address SAD before it begins is always ideal.
However, if you’re experiencing this mood disorder for the first time there are ways you can combat the symptoms in other ways than outlined above.
For example, if getting enough natural sunlight is a challenge for you, acquiring a 10,000-lux lightbox can be an easy way to engage in light therapy for about 20 minutes each day.
You can also try speaking to a Mental Health Counsellor or Registered Psychotherapist who can recommend talk therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Lastly, you can request a consultation with a health care provider who is licensed to diagnose and/or prescribe an antidepressant medication if appropriate, that you can take alone or in conjunction with therapy.
Q: When should I seek professional help?
Remember to seek further support when symptoms become severe, persist to the point where you are having trouble with daily functioning, or you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm. Also consider talking to your healthcare professional to make sure there aren’t any other concerns that are impacting your health as well.
SOURCES:
IMHS Comparison of effects of simple and complex carbohydrates on mental health, a systematic review.
Psychology Today Fear Not the Winter Blues
Harvard Health Serotonin: The natural mood booster
Psychology Today What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
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