SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

Seasonal affective disorder affects millions of people, It impacts those who already suffer from chronic depression or other mental illnesses or disorders. The symptoms of seasonal affective disorder can closely mirror those of depression, including fatigue and tiredness, lack of interest, reduced sex drive, suicidal thoughts, and many more. SAD also disproportionately affects women, particularly those with family histories of mood disorders.
But seasonal affective disorder, like most other disorders, can be managed effectively.

Get Outside
Make it a point to get outside during the day in wintertime - cold as it may be. Try to take a walk either early in the morning or on your lunch hour to maximize the amount of sunshine you are exposed to each day. Sunshine helps the body to synthesize vitamin D, a key nutrient in the manufacturing of seratonin - which helps prevent or minimize the symptoms of SAD.


Get More Exercise
Exercise produces endorphins - the body's natural "feel good" substance outside of seratonin and dopamine. Exercise also helps to boost seratonin production, and helps to alleviate the fatigue that so often accompanies seasonal affective disorder. Mornings are the best time to work out to minimize the symptoms of SAD, but no matter what time of day you choose to exercise, you will likely find that it helps to curb the symptoms of SAD.

Increase Vitamin D Intake
If getting outside isn't an option where you live - for example, if you live in an intensely cold area where going outside when it's not absolutely necessary is totally impractical, or you work nights - consider taking a vitamin D supplement after having a chat about it with your primary care physician. While taking a vitamin D supplement isn't quite as effective as the good old-fashioned way of getting the body to synthesize vitamin D, it is a good alternative. Look at your diet as well and choose more foods that contain vitamin D and potassium, as both of these nutrients will assist the body in boosting seratonin production during the winter. 


Conclusion
 
Seasonal affective disorder affects millions of people. While you should make sure to have a talk with your care provider about the best and safest ways to manage your SAD symptoms, utilizing the aforementioned methods can assist in managing the symptoms of this pervasive disorder effectively - whether you're a longtime sufferer or this is your first experience with seasonal affective disorder.