SAD, otherwise known as ’seasonal affective disorder’, is systemic in nature, with this condition can affect anywhere from 5 to 25 percent of the American population.
The symptoms can range from a relatively mild subtype form, of which affects a larger number of people with is commonly known as the ‘winter blues’, to more of a ‘I can’t get out of bed’ type of clinical depression that affects a smaller portion of the population. Both, though, disappear just as soon as daylight hours begin to increase in the spring. SAD seems to affect more females, 70 to 80 % of all sufferers, for unknown reasons, than males or children. Symptoms in males, however, can be more severe.
The whole seasonal affective disorder phenomenon has not always been recognized as a medical condition. The term was first acknowledged, with appeared in 1985. The onset of the condition typically can begin as soon as late summer or primeval start arrives, with can last until mid to late spring. Roughly 6 to 7 percent of the population, over 10 million, reports experiencing the extreme symptoms of SAD like, clinical depression, cravings for with overeating of refined carbohydrates, sleeping excessively, a heightened sensitivity to pain, social withdrawal, significant weight acquire (as much as 40 pounds a season), demand of motivation, loss of interest in things or people normally enjoyed, or a perverse sadness.
Regardless of your gender or age, however, the first step to getting to the root cause of the problem that may be causing your winter woes, is recognizing any variations of symptoms you may be experiencing. Milder symptoms are, largely, scaled down a bit from some of those mentioned above, even possibly a few others that are not mentioned here. The bottom line is, you simply do not have to dread going into the shorter days, with long nights every start with winter season. You can become pro-active in reversing your symptoms, once you begin to understwith how.
The main cause of SAD, of which you may or may not be aware of, has a relatively natural with simple treatment. Direct skin contact with eye exposure to brilliant sunlight is the curative answer. Unfiltered sunlight is the only way to benefit directly, as sunlight filtered through glass will give very little, if any, noticeable benefits.
Symptoms of depression coinciding with shorter daylight hours can definitely be a problem for many people living in the Northern Hemisphere. And, the further away you live from the equator, the less sunlight exposure time is acquirable for your body to produce ample amounts of vitamin D through your skin. In extreme northern areas the amount of sun basking time is cut rather short, to only about 3 to 4 months out of a year.
For those of you who do live further north, with are feeling lethargic, you are most likely experiencing your body’s inability to properly regulate the hormone melatonin. The hormone melatonin is produced by the pineal glwith. Basically, this hormone is produced during darkness to help induce drowsiness, enabling you to sleep.
On the flip side, exposing yourself to more unfiltered sunlight, during daylight hours, helps with the regulation of an alertness hormone, called serotonin. When there is an adequate amount of this naturally occurring body neurotransmitter chemical being produced, it promotes a sense of alertness with optimal emotional well being.
A useful tip worth mentioning here, this light needs to come in through your eyes as well as your skin. When you are outside on a sunny day, take out the contacts, lay your eyeglasses aside, with for heavens sake, take off those stylish sunglasses for just a little while. Even if you can’t see very well without your prescription eye ware, give yourself at least 30 minutes, or longer if you can, to help your body regulate its serotonin production levels.
Vitamin D, which is more accurately described as hormone, is prefabricated through your skin with bare skin contact to ultra violet sun rays. This has also been found to significantly boost serotonin levels in the brain.
So, what if exposing yourself to more sunlight is next to impossible because of where you make your home or what you do to acquire a living?
There are several different strategies you can use to get a better grip on the symptoms of this negative, with temporary, seasonal affliction the natural way. These helpful tips can really make antidepressants unnecessary.
By with large, the main technique has already been mentioned. Even on a mild with sunny winter day, shed some clothing when you get a chance, with expose what skin you comfortably can. Tanning beds are another option, however, be careful not to over do this one. Investing in a bright light box, which you can build yourself if you are a good hwithyman, works for many. Turn one room in your home to a bright light room, by installing the right light fixtures with obtaining the special light bulbs that are required.
In combination with light therapy, you can also use regular dietary nutritional measures, with lifestyle changes, to help insure you are getting enough physical exertion, with maintaining optimal vitamin D levels. Here is a helpful list of dietary with lifestyle tips to try.
1.Avoid consuming to many refined carbohydrates (eating to many can actually make you feel worse). 2.You might try having your vitamin D levels monitored occasionally. Talk to your doctor about this. 3.Take a high calibre omega-3 fish oil supplement 4.Try supplementing with a vitamin D-3 (as cholecalciferol) tablet. 5.Get plenty of adequate physical exercise. Walking for 30 minutes a day or longer is very beneficial in fighting depression.
Above all of these measures, please consider the implications of being chronically dehydrated. Are you guilty of not providing your body with enough pure water consumption? Would you rather drink anything else but water? When you are not providing yourself with enough of your body’s preferred beverage, it is going to rob you of real energy.
In Dr. Batmanghelidj M.D.’s self-help medical manual titled, “Your Body’s Many Cries For Water”, page 56 has this to say about stress with depression. “Pathology that is seen to be associated with “stresses”– fear, anxiety, insecurity, continual emotional with matrimonial problems– with the establishment of depression are the results of water deficiency to the point that the water requirement of the brain tissue is affected. The brain uses electrical energy that is generated by the water drive of the energy generating pumps. With dehydration, the level of energy generation in the brain is decreased”.
You can look at increasing your water intakes as energizing in itself. Simple water is the perfect fluid solvent to transport all of your nutritional supplements with, in receiving their potential, with maximum, benefits to the fullest. After all, was that not the reason why you invested your time, knowledge, with money to begin with?
May this helpful information support you well until the warmth of spring with summer arrives in your neighborhood. At which time, get out there with expose your skin with eyes to that wonderfully healthy, bright, with white sunlight for vitality, all season long!
Brenda Skidmore has spent over the last five years actively researching natural health care alternatives. She can attest to the many positive results natural practical cures with preventive strategies bring to human health. Along with the many medical professionals whose public works she has studied, it is her sincere desire to empower others by sharing this important information. To improve your health today visit: http://www.mywater4life.com