Are you not feeling like yourself this winter season? Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) can affect many people this time of year. It is characterized as episodes of depressed mood occurring mostly during the winter months. Symptoms can start as early as the autumn and mimic that of depression, notably increased sleep, daytime sleepiness, increased appetite and weight gain, loss of interest in work, lack of energy and inability to concentrate, sluggishness, irritability and unhappiness.

Why does SAD occur and what predisposes us to getting it?

While this syndrome is still not well understood, we see it fairly often in clinical practice. The absence of sunlight during the winter months may be causing hormonal imbalances which could cause the symptoms of SAD. Those predisposed to it are people living in temperate zones, people with a depressive tendency and people living far enough north that experience extended periods of darkness for many months out of the year. It also tends to occur more often in women than in men.

What can I do to feel more like myself again?

Several things can help you get out of the “funk” that is SAD. The first step is talking about it.  Acknowledging the fact that you don’t feel like your normal self and seeking out help is a great step in the right direction. Spending more time outside in the daylight and getting exercise will typically make symptoms better. Alternately, light therapy using a bright fluorescent light that mimics the sun has been shown to benefit those experiencing SAD. Lastly, correcting any nutritional deficiencies and supporting healthy brain function with mood boosting supplements can have a tremendous effect in improving symptoms.

While it might be difficult to differentiate between SAD and depression, SAD symptoms will usually remit in the spring when increased sunlight returns or when supportive therapy, such as light therapy, is initiated. With spring just around the corner, your mood should start feeling more balanced and you should begin to feel like your normal self again.

We spend a lot of time working to make a living. While some stress is a normal part of a workplace, excessive stress can impair productivity and more importantly affect our physical and emotional well-being. Whether you are working more overtime, always pressured to perform at work, or trying to impress your boss to meet his rising expectations, workplace stress is common for many of us. Managing workplace stress is important to maintain a positive attitude and ensure you are successful, creative and productive during your work day.

Not sure if you are stressed at work? Signs and symptoms are far reaching, and include feelings of anxiety, irritability, loss of interest in work, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, muscle tension, insomnia and stomach problems to name a few. We all express stress in different ways so any combination of symptoms is possible.

Make sure to take care of yourself! It is sometimes difficult to control outside factors that contribute to workplace stress, but the one factor we can control is ourselves. By taking care of our physical and emotional health, we become strong and resilient to stress. How? Here are 3 ways to start:

1. Engage in some daily exercise, about 30 minutes of walking, dancing, aerobic exercise, swimming or anything you enjoy doing. Daily activity boosts energy and lifts your mood. Take a 10 minute break and walk around your building outside to also get fresh air.
2. Make sure you are eating nutritious and healthy foods at regular intervals throughout the day. Low blood sugar can contribute to irritability and mood swings, so eating proteins and complex carbs keeps your energy and blood sugar levels up. Keep healthy snacks in your desk drawer to avoid heading to the vending machine when you get hungry.
3. Lastly, regulate your sleep patterns. While stress can cause insomnia, lack of sleep can also contribute to increased stress and difficulty coping with our busy days. Getting enough sleep and waking up feeling refreshed is vital to a healthy mind and body.