Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder is also known as SAD. Sound familiar? Yes, it is the same SAD we refer to every time we are depressed.
The most common SAD is Winter depression usually happen early winter and the mood will return back during Summer. In contrast, Summer depression is rarely happen and it is usually happen early Summer and the mood is back during Winter.

Fair enough, SAD begin at around age 20. And not everyone has the same symptoms.

Symptoms

Winter SAD
  • Feelings of hopelessness and sadness
  • Thoughts of suicide
  • Hypersomnia or a tendency to oversleep
  • A change in appetite, especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods
  • Weight gain
  • A heavy feeling in the arms or leg
  • A drop in energy level
  • Decreased physical activity
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Increased sensitivity to social rejection
  • Avoidance of social situations
Summer SAD
  • Poor appetite
  • Weight loss
  • Insomnia
  • Agitation and anxiety

Causes

The causes of SAD is unknown [darn!!]
However, there is one theory is that it is related to the amount of melatonin in the body, hormone secreted by the pineal gland. The body is exposed to its secretions for a shorter period of time during summer because light suppresses it production. The long nights of winter extends the amount of time melatonin is released into the body, thus increasing symptoms. It is not clear how melatonin produces the symptoms reported. One possible explanation is that melatonin causes a drop in body temperature and lower body temperature is associated with sleep. This could indicate that it is related to the sleep-wake cycle and related to the hypersomnia and fatigue reported.

Conclusion

It's like if you stay under the roof too long, without the sunlight like a zoombie you are easily to get winter depression.


So what can you do to treat this kind of illness? Easy!! Go under the Sun!! But don't stay too long, you might get Sun burned or Skin cancer!

Source: http://psychologytoday.com/conditions/sad.html

Self-conclusion: Don't you get it!? Go take a walk before the sun is set, may be it could make you more productivity at work. Go! you Sun-Getter!!

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