Seasonal Affective disorder (SAD)
SAD is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern and is more intense through periods with decreased sunlight. It is known as “winter depression” as the symptoms are more severe in the winter. However some people may experience the depressive symptoms during summer and therefore feel better during the winter. Only because at summer they are unable to set their circadian rhythm as the night lasts shorter.
For some people the symptoms can be severe and affect them on their day to day activities
The symptoms of SAD are:
- loss of pleasure or interest in everyday activities
- irritability
- bad mood or persistent low mood
- feelings of worthlessness, guilt, despair, frustration
- Lack of energy or fatigue, feeling sleepy during the day
- longer sleeping, difficulty in getting up in the morning
- sleeplessness in some cases, lack of melatonin
- cravings for carbohydrates and gaining weight
What causes SAD?
SAD is caused by dysfunction in our circadian rhythm. Our inner timer settings are affected by the amount of light or darkness we get.
- production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that help us sleep and set our inner timer. In people with SAD the body produces melatonin in higher levels than normal during winter and lower levels during summer.
- production of serotonin. Serotonin is our natural antidepressant and affects our mood, our energy, our appetite. A lack of sunlight may lead to lower serotonin levels.
- Circadian Rhythm – body’s internal clock. Our body uses sunlight to time various functions: The time we wake up, the time that we go for sleep so in periods like winter and summer this function of our inner clock is disrupted .
How Neurofeedback and Natural Medicine can help you?
What Neurofeedback does?
- balances melatonin’s levels,
- increases easy and natural serotonin levels,
- increases bowel absorption as Indolamines -serotonin, dopamine – absorbed in small intestine.
- regenerates the body and brain, gives the energy that they need to address the fatigue and sleepiness or sleeplessness.
- detects what kind of supplements respond better to each case.
What Natural Medicine does?
- Some herbs and supplements help the production of melatonin
- Probiotics and Gut supplements help the absorption of serotonin
- A proper nutrition plan, avoiding food sensitivities, always helps gain our energy back
- light therapies in the summer or keeping dark our rooms 3 hours before sleep to help our inner clock
- Homeopathy helps people with severe symptoms of depression
Areti Grigoriou
MSc Neuroscientist
Registered Natural Medicine Practitioner