Seasonal Affective Disorder: How to Stave Off The Affects Of S.A.D

Another overcast day looms large, If you happen to of the unlucky 5% of the people residing in the northern hemisphere that experience from Seasonal Defective Disorder you can have a pretty tough time at the moment. The feelings usually start in the Autumn months and carry on through until Spring. It is recognized that up to half a million people in the United States could be suffering Seasonal Affective Disorder however not everyone knows they have it as the signs are quite quite often mistaken for conditions like depression or insomnia amongst others.

Younger women seem to be worst affected however they are more likely to seek a doctors advice so that could be why. Symptoms include a general feeling of being down, irritability, mood swings, poor sleep patterns and loss of appetite which swings towards binging and over indulgence.

So how can you help alleviate the condition?

There are aspects of your daily routine that you can change to offset the affects of Seasonal Affective Disorder that can really help you, such as:

Getting outside as much as possible when the days are just that bit brighter as the more daylight you are subjected to the better you will feel.If you're lucky you could get a day when the sun shines, if that is the case make the most of it, go sit in it for a while.

By making your work place brighter or sitting that bit nearer the window. Regular breaks are a must and having your luch out of the office can be benificial.

Home workers should try to have a routine so that it will allow you to escape the confines of your house once a day at the least.

Simulate daylight with a ligh therapy lamp. You can purchase them online and aren't too expensive. Light Therapy Lamps have been proven to make a difference. Simply use it in the background fro thirty minutes a day and you will feel so much better.

If you are suffering from SAD regular excercise has been known to help, if you are of an age and are fit you could try jogging or a brick daily walk. If that is not your thing try yoga. You can also help your S.A.D symptoms with the power of exercise it will help keep your body healthy at the same time. Why not try to plan your weekly schedule in advance as you are far more likely to keep it up than if you do it on an adhoc basis.

Food cravings can also be a component of Seasonal Affective Disorder, usually people crave sweet things like chocolate, buscuits and cake, if this is the case try to satisfy your appetite by substituting the sweeter foods with other carbohydrates such as pasta, or you could eat more fruit and vegatables.

In the end it all comes down to being proactive with your Disorder and tying to meet it head on, There is no one cure fits all but once you recognize that you have SAD then you can begin to treat it.


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Arnold Hexden has written on many subjects, however Seasonal Affective Disorder is a serious issue which he is very interested in and has devoted a lot of his time to. Watch the Seasonal Affective Disorder Video