Welcome to the Positive Pulse blog! Check in with us each month for tips on healthy living, right on our website. A short snippet will be featured in the Positive Pulse monthly newsletter as well, which you can sign up for here.
We're back with another issue of Positive Pulse, the blog for everything to do with healthy living. Has the change of seasons from summer to fall got you feeling down? Read our tips below to find out why and how to import your mood.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
If shorter days and shifts in weather zap your energy and make you feel blue, you’ve got classic symptoms of a seasonal mood disorder. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of seasonal depression triggered by the change in seasons that occurs primarily in winter. Why do some people get SAD? Experts aren’t certain, but some think that seasonal changes disrupt the circadian rhythm: the 24-hour clock that regulates how we function during sleeping and waking hours, causing us to feel energized and alert sometimes and drowsy at other times. Even if you do not have SAD, you might find yourself a little less energetic in the fall and winter and some of the tips below can help.
Try Light From a Box
Light therapy boxes give off light that mimics sunshine. The light from the therapy boxes is significantly brighter than that of regular light bulbs, and it's provided in different wavelengths. If you sit in front of a light box for about 30 minutes a day it will stimulate your body's circadian rhythms and suppress its natural release of melatonin. Most people find light therapy to be most effective if used when they first get up in the morning, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Depression Center in Ann Arbor. A study published in 2014 in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that one week of light therapy may be as effective as two, though most people continue light therapy throughout the entire season that they're affected.
Dawn Simulators
Dawn simulators can help some people wake up easier. These devices are alarm clocks, but rather than waking you abruptly with loud music or beeping, they produce light that gradually increases in intensity, just like the sun. Different models of dawn simulators are available, but the best ones use full-spectrum light, which is closest to natural sunlight.
Get Moving
Exercise can help boost your mood. Outdoor exercise would be most helpful if you need sunlight, but if you can't exercise outside because it's cold or snowy, choose a treadmill, stationary bike, or elliptical machine close to a window at the gym. Exercise can also help offset the weight gain that is common when you are less happy.
Maintain a Schedule
Maintaining a regular schedule improves sleep, which can help alleviate symptoms of seasonal depression. Keeping a regular schedule will also expose you to light at consistent and predictable times and eating at regular intervals can help you watch your diet and not overeat.
