Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a condition where a person may become fatigued, depressed, have insomnia, irritability, headaches, loss of concentration, muscle aches, sadness, lack of sex drive and crave carbohydrates. These symptoms tend to occur during the time when the amount of sun decreases. The pituitary gland, located in the skull, produces a chemical called melatonin to regulate sleep. The pituitary gland is regulated by the sun. Therefore, when the amount of daylight decreases, the pituitary gland may not be producing the right amount of melatonin in some people.

The season during which most people are affected is October to April. Two thirds of SAD sufferers have an immediate family member with SAD. Four times as many women than men have SAD. There is a difference between winter SAD (mentioned above) and summer SAD. This may be because serotonin, a chemical in the brain that exudes feelings of well-being, fluctuates over the course of the year. It is at its lowest during spring and early summer. This leads to some different symptoms from winter SAD; agitation, lack of appetite, more frequent suicidal thoughts. Other symptoms are similar to winter SAD (there are no cravings for carbohydrates and sugar with summer SAD).

SAD can be made worse by stress, PMS and panic attacks. Treatments include light therapy, medication (tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin enhancers, monoamino oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), tithium carbonate), pineal gland extract, melatonin, exercise, diet and counseling. Of all of these ideas, light therapy seems to have the greatest effect on the symptoms of SAD.

Full spectrum lighting has a wider range of wave lengths than standard fluorescent lights. It closely resembles natural daylight. The light levels are eight times the level of typical room lighting. If you spend two or more hours a day (three feet away) in front of the light panel you can see a decrease in symptoms and perhaps the symptoms will disappear. You can read, mend, do crafts, etc. while sitting in front of the light panel. You can test it for yourself by using 2-150 watt bulbs and aluminum reflectors or buy the panel.

Compiled from:
"Are you a 'gut reactor'?". Chatelaine. Susan Hirshorn with research by Kim Pittaway. p. 168. Apr. '97.
Don't be SAD. Celeste A. Peters. Good Health Books. p. 9. Calgary 1994.
Dead to the world. Healthwatch. Janne Macrae. p. 17.
SAD - Paul Bergner Alwt. p. 2. Jan. '89 in Update Winter '93.
Snooze blues. Healthwatch. Victoria Clayton. p. 18.
Sleep/wake Disorders of Canada - pamphlets.
The Sunday Daily News. p. 33. Apr. 7/96.

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