Feeling SAD? A Doctor's Top 4 Remedies for Winter Blues

 :: By Lisa M. Truesdale

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Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, we switched it on, and our bodies’ internal clocks switched off.

Well, not off, exactly, but they got messed up: We started sleeping when it’s light and staying up when it's dark. But that's just not natural, and our bodies know it — and often show it: Winter makes many of us unusually depressed.

It’s called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, also known as winter blues, and it's very common — and very treatable.

SAD affects more than 10 million Americans, and about 75 percent of them are women, according to studies by Mayo Clinic, the Oregon Health Sciences University and other researchers. Geography (actually, latitude) also plays a big role in who suffers from it; up to 10 percent of all New Englanders are likely to be affected, but only 2 percent of Floridians and Southern Californians are.

For insight on what remedies can help with symptoms of SAD, I talked to Boulder, Colo., psychiatrist Mark Leifeste, M.D., and to four people who experience this condition every winter. If shorter days and fading light make you want to curl up and hibernate until the tulips poke through in March, start with this guide for help.

1. See a doctor to assess your symptoms

A professional can help you determine whether you have SAD and give you several treatment and coping options. You'll likely start by asking you to track your mood swings in a journal.

"You have to look at the big-picture observations through the years," says Leifeste. "I use a calendar that lets my patients chart their moods over a period of three years, or they can fill it in retroactively. Then they might be able to link their mood swings to certain times of the year, like 'It's always around my son's birthday' or 'I notice it around Thanksgiving every year.'"

Besides depression and loss of energy, SAD symptoms include anxiety, social withdrawal, oversleeping, appetite changes and weight gain. Because SAD is a type of depression, it can often be successfully managed by common antidepressants, Leifeste says, but there are a host of nondrug options you can try first.

Of course, if your depression is severe — like if it negatively impacts your daily routine, or you have feelings of hopelessness — see a doctor right away, because it could be something else. "If it's hurting your work performance, relationships, or other abilities to function and cope, get help immediately," Leifeste says.

2. Get outside on sunny days

Don't let colder weather chase you inside; it's what parkas and mittens were made for. Take a walk around the block, eat lunch at the park or simply sit on a bench and relax, advises Mayo Clinic.

Staying active is the key for Shannon Pinkston, who recently moved from Colorado to Missoula, Mont.

"My exercise routine definitely helps with my mood-related issues in the winter," she says. "I keep doing what I do all year; I run outside for while. Then I can go indoors for additional exercise if I get too cold."

Peter Gowan, who grew up on Long Island and now lives in Colorado, agrees. "I spent every single day of every summer in the sun, until I was 25," he says. "Then for several years I worked in a job that took me to rural parts of Wyoming, North Dakota and other darker, colder states. That's when my seasonal depression started. Now I make time to be outside in the winter."

Take up a new cold-weather sport, like snowshoeing, skiing or ice skating — anything that means you're spending more time outside. A vacation to a sunny locale might also lift your spirits.

Susan Olsen from Rochester, Minn., notices a definite decrease in her energy levels every September when the days start getting shorter. "I always try to schedule a trip to Mexico around January," she says. "Being on a warm and sunny beach always gives me a boost that lasts until spring, when I naturally start to feel better."

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