Surely you know someone who, year after year, as soon as the fall y the days get shorter, he begins to lose heart. Or maybe it happens to you. This is something totally normal, since the seasonal change also implies alterations in our organism.
In most cases it is not a problem, but a non-negligible percentage of the population suffers from the so-called seasonal affective disorder (APR). These are already big words, since it implies a clinical diagnosis. In milder cases it is also known as winter blueswhich could be translated as “winter blues” and is considered a subsyndrome.
But what exactly is the TAE? Do you have treatment? Can it be prevented? Let’s see what science says about this.
How can we know if we suffer from SAD?
SAD involves changes in mood that appear in a certain period of the year (generally during autumn-winter), and that also remit at a specific time, which is usually spring.
Although seasonal affective episodes can also occur in other types of disorders, their most frequent symptoms are similar to depression. Those affected usually experience low mood, hypersomnia – excessive sleepiness – and an increased appetite.
It is estimated that this problem can affect up to 10% of the population, although the rates vary between studies, countries (it seems that the incidence is significantly higher in the US than in Europe) and depending on the diagnostic criteria used. What is clear is that women have more ballots to suffer it.
Why does it occur?
We still do not have a single answer to this question, but one of the main hypotheses stems precisely from the seasonality of the disorder. The SAR follows a rhythmic pattern, as it appears at regular intervals marked by the change of season.
Since this seasonality is both an essential criterion for diagnosis and a trigger for the problem, let’s stop for a moment to examine the influence that changes that occur in our environment have on our health.
The importance of biological rhythms
Biological rhythms are very present in nature and, therefore, also in the human being. If we stop to think, we will find several examples of rhythmic phenomena around us (the change between day and night or the tides) and in ourselves (heart rate, women’s menstruation or the sleep-wake rhythm).
To maintain these cadences and stay in sync with our environment, we have systems that measure the passage of time and calibrate themselves using environmental cues. The most important sign for us is the light-dark cycle, which follows a circadian rhythm (ie a 24-hour cycle). These guidelines influence a multitude of processes, from the moments in which we eat or the ideal time to take a medication to, of course, our mental health.
Lack of light, serotonin and other possible triggers
As far as SAD is concerned, the evidence points to the involvement of multiple factors, both biological and psychological.
As we have said, the light-dark cycle is essential for our species and the maintenance of our health, including our mental health. For this reason, one of the main hypotheses about SAD has to do with exposure to light.
The changes that occur with the arrival of autumn generate changes in our circadian rhythms (including the rhythm of melatonin secretion) that, in predisposed people, would in turn cause changes in behavior and mood. In this way, the desynchronization between internal circadian rhythms and those of the environment would increase the risk of suffering from SAD.
The fact that this disorder is more frequent in places with less light and that it typically begins in autumn, when sunlight decreases, would clearly support this hypothesis.
Another theory points to the decrease in the secretion of some neurotransmitters, the substances involved in the internal communication of the brain. The most studied is serotoninand decreased levels of this substance have been found during the fall and winter months in affected people.
Finally, there are studies that indicate that people with a low sensitivity of the retina to light, which would alter the correct processing of it, would be more likely to suffer from SAD.
Regarding psychological factors, these do not differ practically from those that predispose to suffer non-seasonal depressive episodes. However, facts such as the fact that people with SAD do fewer pleasurable activities during the fall and winter could contribute to maintaining the disorder.
On the other hand, it has been pointed out that the physical symptoms of SAD, such as fatigue or increased appetite or sleep, would cause affective and cognitive alterations in vulnerable people.
Prevention and treatment
Evidence suggests that up to 70% of people diagnosed with SAD will have it again the following year. Therefore, prevention acquires a special relevance. Still, it’s important to remember that not everyone with seasonal mood swings has a disorder and therefore won’t require treatment.
Thus, when these changes cause discomfort but do not pose a health problem, making changes to our lifestyle that facilitate our adaptation can be very useful. Maintaining proper sleep hygiene, avoiding screens in the hours before going to bed, exposing ourselves as much as possible to natural light, walking outdoors, having a proper diet and promoting positive social habits will help us adjust our rhythms biological.
In the case of SAD, and given the importance of light in its appearance, it is not surprising that light therapy is the most widely used treatment; while in the pharmacological section, there are studies that support the efficacy of melatonin and antidepressants.
And finally, psychological therapy has also shown its usefulness. Its advantage over the previous ones is that it has greater potential when it comes to preventing future episodes.
Therefore, this problem has a treatment, and people who suffer from it should go to their reference health team so that they can determine which strategy to follow in each case.