Monday, November 28, 2011
When the weather gets colder and the days get shorter, your mood can change. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is "episodes of depression that occur at a certain time of the year, usually in the winter." [1] Women are affected by SAD more often than men and those living in areas that have longer wint...
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I live in Michigan, and recently I heard that people in Michigan get a lot less sunlight in the dreary, winter months due to the Great Lakes. As of last night's 10-day forecast in my area (near Detroit) only 2 of those days were going to have any chance of sun. That's typical for most of the winter here...cold, grey, gloomy days. Because of this lack of sunlight, it has been recommended to me to use a sunlamp (I'm diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and ADHD) to help prevent depressions during the winter months (my lowest point of the year, every year, oddly enough, is July). Recently, however, I read that sunlamps were put on the same list as tanning beds, in their ability/likelihood of causing cancer. Of course, regular natural sunlight can cause cancer as well, but is the risk any higher in sunlamps, or am I worrying for nothing? Thanks for this article and for the tips!
I went to the Endo for a check-up and told her about my SAD symptoms and she had me tested for Vit. D. level. I also live in the north and often it's overcast during the winter. I have SAD every winter but this year was worse for some reason.
She did a blood test and sure enough I was really low in Vit. D. So get that checked. She put me on a huge amount of a Vit. D3 supplement and I think it's already working a little. As you probably know you get Vit. D. from the sun, so it makes sense.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I am glad your doctor listened and worked to find a solution. Hopefully, the vitamin D supplements will help you feel better during the winter months.
Eileen
Yes! I almost forgot about that...Vitamin D! I've been tested and have low Vitamin D, as well. So does my sister. As I've had baratric surgery (lapband), I am supposed to be taking a Vitamin D/Calcium supplement (which you can't have one without the other), but I've been very bad about taking it because it's chewable, huge, very powdery (have to drink a ton of water just to get it down and with a smaller stomach that's very hard to do), and the kicker: it tastes like CRAP! I gotta get back to it, though! Thanks for the reminder.