As soon as winter comes, I cry inexplicably and feel tired and weak! Doctors reveal the truth: "1 disease" may affect mood
Feeling depressed due to the rainy winter? Beware of Seasonal Affective Disorder
With the rainy weather in winter, is it especially easy to feel depressed? Dr. Chen Caifan from the Family Medicine Department of Lian On Clinic said that “Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)” is common in autumn and winter, and symptoms such as depression, fatigue, weakness, and weight gain are prone to occur, and symptoms often occur after spring and summer. of relief.
Dr. Chen Caifan pointed out that most discussions on the causes of seasonal changes and mood swings focus on the decline in sunlight exposure and the impact of the human body’s physiological day and night rhythms in autumn and winter. The pathogenic mechanism may also include important nerve conduction in the human body. Substances such as melatonin, serotonin, etc.
A previous Danish study found that in patients with seasonal affective disorder, the protein that transports serotonin in the body “does not” decrease as much as in healthy people in winter, which may affect the concentration of serotonin in the body. In addition, relevant studies in Taiwan in recent years have also observed that Taiwan’s suicide rate and hospitalization rate for physical and mental diseases are also related to seasonal trends.
Who is prone to seasonal affective disorder? Doctors name “four ethnic groups” that may be at high risk
Dr. Chen Caifan emphasized that if in the past disease history, mood swings often occurred in autumn and winter, which affected daily work, social interaction, diet, and sleep, you should immediately go to the psychosomatic clinic for consultation and seek help. Different from general depression treatment, the first choice for seasonal affective disorder treatment is “light therapy”. This is because the human body is less susceptible to sunlight in winter, which can lead to psychological problems.
For generally healthy people, there is no clear conclusion yet as to whether autumn and winter affect mood swings, or even to the extent of causing illness, and seasonal changes do not affect everyone’s mood swings. In a 2020 questionnaire-based study of 5,000 people from the Netherlands, it was found that seasonal changes have a more significant impact on groups with “neurotic” or “emotionally unstable” personality traits.
The decrease in sunlight in autumn and winter not only affects the body’s physiological day and night rhythm, but also often changes people’s outdoor activity, dietary choices, and social patterns. These changes may potentially affect circadian rhythms and emotional states in autumn and winter. In addition, lack of sunlight does not only occur in autumn and winter. Work patterns that require night shifts, or the working environment is located indoors without sunlight, can also easily affect circadian rhythm.
What should I do if bad weather affects my mood? Doctors teach you “4 simple tricks” to resolve the problem
Dr. Chen Caifan suggests that when autumn and winter come, the following four methods are recommended in daily life to reduce the effects of autumn and winter on mood swings:
Increase the number of hours of sunshine: Engage in more outdoor activities. While receiving sunlight exposure, you can also increase the opportunities for outdoor exercise, which will help the function of the neuroendocrine system. Even if you are not going out at home, you can open the curtains to let more sunlight into the room.
Regular social behavior: It is recommended to socialize with others at the right time in your life, not just dining with friends or participating in large gatherings, but also enjoying dinner with your family, talking on the phone with friends, and even being with pets. It is a social activity that is good for physical and mental health.
Maintain a balanced diet: A balanced diet is the basis for maintaining the neuroendocrine system. In addition to eating fresh food, it is also important to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables, healthy oils, and sufficient protein. When people are busier and more stressed, they are more likely to neglect their diet, or more often choose high-fat, heavy-flavored foods as a way to vent their anger, which can easily make their emotions more unstable, thus creating a vicious cycle.
Supplement vitamin D: Studies have found that patients with seasonal affective disorder have a common problem of vitamin D deficiency. The source of vitamin D in the human body mainly comes from ultraviolet rays in the sun. Vitamin D has the function of helping to regulate the neuroendocrine system. Whether the body is deficient in vitamin D can be assessed by drawing blood, and a supplement plan can be discussed with a doctor.
In addition, Dr. Chen Caifan also suggested that the public can evaluate the balance status of important neurotransmitters such as serotonin, epinephrine, and dopamine through functional medicine “Nerve Transmission Metabolism Assessment” testing. Finally, I would like to appeal again. If you find that your mood or that of your relatives and friends is often affected by the seasons and you are unable to maintain your daily life and work, you should seek help from a professional doctor immediately. Don’t let the seasons affect your emotional health.
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