What is winter depression and how to deal with it

"Drowsiness in the absence of a sense of rest"

Nika Kotova, Newspaper.Ru

In winter, many people lose their vitality, mood, desire to engage in active activities and, conversely, the need for food and sleep increases. I want to hibernate like a bear and not wake up until spring. These are manifestations of winter depression, which experts consider as a kind of seasonal depression. Often this condition does not begin in winter, but in late autumn, when the daylight hours are greatly reduced.

In scientific terms, experts call it seasonal affective disorder (SAR).

Scientists identify seven symptoms of this disorder. One of them is emotional disorders: low mood, inability to experience positive emotions, apathy, increased irritability, decreased self–esteem. The other is cognitive impairment: difficulty concentrating, memory loss, decreased intellectual activity.

Also, the criteria are fatigue, increased fatigue and drowsiness, an increase in the need for sleep, in which a person does not get enough sleep, hardly wakes up in the morning.

The other three criteria are an increased need for food, a craving for flour and sweets, which leads to a set of extra pounds; reduced immunity, which increases the frequency of colds and other diseases; avoidance of social contacts, a reduced need for communication, a desire to stay at home. In winter, in severe frosts, weather sensitivity may also increase, to which people are exposed in any season.

However, according to the specialists of the Scientific Center for Mental Health of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, who are investigating this problem under the guidance of Dr. Vladimir Medvedev, in order to diagnose "seasonal depression", it is necessary that depressive attacks recur for three years in the same season and pass in the same way with the onset of the next season.

Women are much more likely to suffer from this condition than men, at least in the sample of subjects suffering from ATS that the researchers studied, there were 76 women and 21 men. The complex of symptoms observed in the majority included "an increase in appetite with an attraction to sweet and other carbohydrate-rich foods, an increase in body weight, an increase in sleep duration and daytime drowsiness in the absence of a sense of rest." At the same time, there were also atypical forms of ATS, in which appetite and sleep were reduced, and body weight fell. Moreover, these atypical forms represented the most severe forms of depression.

Experts consider hormonal changes under the influence of a decrease in daylight hours to be the main causes of winter depression. Because of this, circadian, diurnal, rhythms of the body mismatch with external conditions. In winter, the secretion of melatonin (a hormone that is produced in the dark) is disrupted and less serotonin (a neurotransmitter that greatly affects our emotions and mood) is produced.

It is believed that up to 10% of people in the population are susceptible to seasonal depression, usually it appears after the age of 18. Women suffer from it more often than men, due to increased emotionality.

According to specialists of the Belarusian State Medical University, who study this problem in medical students, SAR was observed in 16% of girls and another 23% had a weak (subsyndromic) form of its manifestation. Among male students, only 6% had a mild form of SAR. Interestingly, winter depression was more pronounced in students living in a dormitory than in students living at home.

The influence of personality type on predisposition to seasonal mood swings was recently investigated by Polish specialists from the Institute of Applied Psychology in Krakow (Chronotype and personality factors of predisposition to seasonal affective disorder). They claim that winter depression is more typical for women. This condition is promoted by a greater neuroticism of the personality, as well as a quality that psychologists call avoidance of harm. This refers to the type of person who avoids dangers and unpleasant situations and prefers to behave passively in response to a threat. More often, less socially active individuals, introverts, suffer from winter depression.

The most important question is how to deal with winter depression?

According to most experts, Russian and foreign, light helps best in its treatment.

Light therapy can be performed in clinics, in special boxes, in which patients are irradiated with high-intensity visible spectrum light.

But you can fight winter depression on your own. To do this, experts give some tips.

• Spend more time outside, even in cloudy weather. Even in the absence of the sun, the level of illumination on the street is higher than indoors.
• Eat in a balanced way. It is necessary to consume more complex carbohydrates and reduce the consumption of sweet foods, and also do not forget about vitamins, especially C, A and D. Red vegetables and fruits (dried apricots, red peppers, beets) containing nutrients that help overcome depression are useful. Dark chocolate will help to increase serotonin levels.
• Find time for physical activity. Exercise for at least 30 minutes three times a week, but preferably more.
• Lead an active social life, maintain contacts with people, diversify daily activities.

Alcohol as a means of combating autumn-winter melancholy is strongly not recommended by doctors. This will only bring a temporary improvement in mood, but not a lasting effect. And long-term abuse will cause serious health problems.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru03.02.2014