By: Emma Harris
Seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD, is a type of depression that results from the change in seasons, usually starting and ending at the same time each year. Overall, the younger you are and the farther away from the Equator you live, the more likely you are to have SAD. Given Vancouver’s iconic dreary (and rainy!) fall and winter….and spring, students in the Lower Mainland are reported to have some of the highest SAD rates in the country.
Symptoms of SAD
In general, the symptoms of SAD include:
- Irritable mood
- Tiredness and low energy
- Heavy, sluggish feeling in the arms or legs
- Oversleeping or trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Appetite changes, especially craving foods high in carbohydrates
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Agitation or anxiety
As a student, these symptoms heavily affect your ability to be a good student and a good human being. Of course, it’s normal to have some days when you don’t feel 100%, but if you feel de-motivated to do activities you normally enjoy, feel depressed, have exaggerated sleep and appetite patterns, feel hopeless, suicidal or are turning to alcohol for comfort, you should seek help from a doctor or someone you trust.
What are the Causes of SAD?
- Your biological clock (circadian rhythm): reduced levels of sunlight in the fall and winter disrupt your body’s internal clock, leading to odd sleeping patterns and feelings of depression.
- Serotonin levels: drops in one of your brain’s crucial neurotransmitters negatively affects mood. This happens due to the lack of sunlight, which lowers the production of serotonin (aka the “happy” neurotransmitter).
- Melatonin levels: changes in the seasons can disrupt the body’s level of melatonin, greatly affecting sleep patterns and your mood.
Don’t be SAD: Treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder
- Light therapy: aka phototherapy, you sit close to a special light therapy box, exposing you to bright light that imitates natural outdoor light. This has been shown to have positive recovery affects in as little as a few days.
- Go outside more, sunny or not: it’s a proven fact: getting natural fresh air and exercise also boosts your serotonin levels, making up for the lack of sunlight. This in turn improves your mood to make you happier! ☺
- Sit closer to windows in the library and in your room: find a way to be closer to the sun, even with the deceiving fog. This will be sure to lift your mood and allow you to sleep better, compared to if you were always in a room with no windows.
- Take melatonin tablets: this dietary supplement is a synthetic form of a hormone that naturally occurs in your body to regulate mood. Taking this decreases SAD symptoms, especially in getting your sleep schedule back on track. This can be purchased without a prescription at local drug stores (ie. Shoppers Drug Mart), but always read the instructions on the back first!
- Yoga and Meditation: clearing your mind can alleviate feelings of sadness and mood fluctuations, cause relaxation and make it easier to sleep.
UBC and Vancouver Resources
- UBC Counselling Services: Drop-in hours are usually 9:30am-3:30pm Monday-Friday, FREE ☺ in Brock Hall, (604) 822-3811
- Student Health Services: Health services just for students, FREE as a UBC student at the UBC Hospital. Open 8am-4pm Monday-Friday, (604) 822-7011
- Nurse in Place Vanier: Our nurse Carla visits Place Vanier on Tuesdays from 3-6pm, feel free to ask her any questions and get more information about SAD.
- Vancouver Crisis Line: Call anytime you need to talk to someone, (1-800) 784-2433
- Vancouver General Hospital: to see a doctor or to get a referral, (604) 875-4111
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