WASHINGTON — This weekend, when clock settings “fall back” to change to Eastern Standard Time, a pattern of winter darkness descends and some people experience: SAD — Seasonal Affective Disorder.
“We estimate it to affect about one in 20 adult Americans. Teenagers can easily get it as well and even children,” said the psychiatrist who first described the condition, Dr. Norman Rosenthal, of Georgetown University Medical School.
“I want to emphasize that for every person with severe SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, there are about three people with the less severe form of what we call the winter blues,” Rosenthal notes.
Symptoms that reflect you might be experiencing “winter blues” include craving sweets and carbohydrates. You might have less energy, difficulty concentrating and feel as if experiences are less fun.
“Relationships are more difficult (and) work is more difficult,” Rosenthal said. “The more severe form, of course, is going to severely cut into work and social relationships.”
An easy fix is to get more light exposure.
“Bringing bright lights into the home, in terms of regular lamps, but also there are some special light fixtures,” Rosenthal said of what’s known as light boxes.
People interested in buying a special fixture referred to as a light box, should know Rosenthal believes white light is better than blue, the box should be at least one foot square and fluorescents are best because LED-based light boxes haven’t been as well tested for efficacy and safety.
Even though light therapy tends to be more potent in the morning, Rosenthal said that what’s setting off most people now is lack of light in evening hours.
“You want to get the extra light in the afternoon, or you’re likely to begin feeling very tired much earlier and not know what’s going on and get your circadian rhythms disrupted,” Rosenthal said.
