Okay, so I know Summer is ending, which means for me, (and the rest of the 1% of the population with Summer or Reverse SAD) I’m going to be jolly, happy, and normal again! (Poor people with Winter SAD… they won’t be so lucky!) But, I wanted to see if anyone on here had this sort of SAD and to see if you had any better way of handling it than I. The last 4 Summers I have noticed a dip in my mood when the days grow longer, hotter, and humid. I’ve tried meditation, getting outside, staying inside, keeping the temps down, but my symptoms are present until late-September (about the time when the clouds increase, the days grow shorter and the temps dip) and begin again mid-May (the reverse)…. If any of you have Summer SAD or symptoms like it I would love to see how you survive the Summer months. Thanks!
That’s right… Summer SAD
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I’ve honestly never heard of the condition that you describe. Typical SAD is primarily caused by a lack of sunlight exposure during months where sunlight exposure on skin is harder to come by. It can also happen during pro-longed periods of clouds/rain in the summer. When sun hits our skin, it converts it into various chemicals and nutrients that are an essential part of physical and mental well-being. When our bodies become deprived, it causes a chemical imbalance in our brains (primarily melatonin) that lead to “feeling down.”
I’m no doctor, but I wonder if your condition could be caused by some other kind of imbalance related to the summer months. What is your nutrition like during the spring and summer months? Plenty of anti-oxidants, vitamin B, calcium, vitamin E and the often over-looked vitamin K (found in many green leafy vegetables)? I’ve heard that these nutrients are especially important during the summer months to help our bodies adapt to the heat and extra sunlight.
I can’t think of much else… hopefully somebody else will have an idea or two for you.
Summer SAD’s cause in unknown, as the typical SAD was only discovered or named in the 80′s. Not much research has been done on these. But yes, typical SAD is caused an imbalanced in melatonin and seretonin levels, therefore giving the affected depression-like symptoms, lack of energy, and craving for carbs (which raise seretonin levels). Unsure what Summer SAD’s cause is…. seeing as how in the summer, these levels rise.
My appitatie raises in these months, and I eat all the time…. I don’t think it could be vitamin imbalances, as I take a multivitamin daily and am a vegetarian, so I eat my greens, haha! Thanks, MaineMan for your thoughts. =)
The problem stems from the lack of bright light in winter. Researchers have proved that bright light makes a difference to the brain chemistry but why some people suffer and others don’t is not clear.
Nerve centres in our brain controlling our daily rhythms and moods are stimulated by the amount of light entering the eyes. As night falls, the pineal gland starts to produce a substance called melatonin that tells our body clock it’s night time; bright light at daybreak is the signal for the gland to stop producing this melatonin. But on dull winter days, especially indoors, not enough light is received to trigger this waking up process.Light is also linked to serotonin (also known as or 5HT), a neurotransmitter in the brain. This makes sense because low serotonin levels can cause depression and if you’re depressed it can be difficult to concentrate and complete what would normally be simple tasks. Evidence has shown that serotonin levels increase with exposure to bright light – SSRI drugs such as Prozac have the same effect.
It’s kind of odd because I love cold weather and enjoy it very much, but it can often have a negative effect on my moods, making me very depressed.