EiR Blog

Seasonal Affective Disorder (known widely by the appropriate acronym - SAD)  is a form of clinical depression associated with late autumn and winter and thought to be caused by a lack of light. It’s estimated to affect 10 million Americans, with another 1-2 million Americans suffering from a milder form, often referred to as 'the winter blues' - making it extremely common, affecting 1 in every 30 people in the United States. The signs and symptoms of SAD are almost identical to those of clinically diagnosed major deppression with the difference being that those affected by SAD generally experience a gradual worsening and then resolution of their symptoms as the seasons change and with them the amount of light and sun exposure.  Symptoms of SAD Feelings of Sadness and Despair Irritability Crying Spells Poor Sleep Tiredness & Fatigue Body Aches Trouble Concentrating Lack of Motivation Loss of Sex Drive Overeating...

I was lucky enough to spend two weeks on holiday/vacation in Turkey recently to recuperate after over-exerting my body and brain completing my bachelor's degree in nutritional health. Being a resident of the UK with its, let's say temperamental weather, I really notice a change in how I feel (mostly good, some bad) when I spend time in a country where the climate is warmer and sunnier. This got me thinking that a good topic for a blog and dscussion would be how climate and weather affect the health of people suffering from environmental illnesses. Personally, my moods and energy levels are greatly influenced by the weather and the seasons and I have in the past been diagnosed with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Here in the UK it can be sunny one minute and raining the next at any time of year. When it is sunny my mood is correspondingly bright...

 It's that time of year again for those of us in the northern hemisphere, the days are quickly getting shorter now and for many that means symptoms of fatigue, lethargy, depression and more. As a result, it can require the willpower of a polar explorer just to drag oneself out of bed in the morning! One solution to combat these symptoms is the use of a dawn simulator. These are essentially alarm clocks that instead of waking you abruptly with loud and irritating beeping (that makes you want to smash the thing!), produce light that gradually increases in intensity to mimic the rising sun. Many models use full spectrum light which is closest in appearance to sunlight as well. By working in this way you can set your dawn simulator alarm for any time in the morning when it's still dark outside and be woken in a way that is more...

As part of my illness I have suffered greatly with Seasonal Affective Disorder, known also by its appropriate acronym - SAD. I notice large seasonal variations in my mood, energy levels and other symptoms and also day to day variations depending on the weather. Even a cloudy or rainy day in summer can make me feel depressed and sluggish. I have recently tried high dose vitamin D treatment after seeing studies that showed very positive results and wanted to tell you about what it has done for me. First though I want to talk a bit about my experience with SAD. There was a time before I knew about SAD and realised I had it when I felt suicidal each year from October to March. All I felt was total despair and spent most of my time in bed. If I hadn't still been living at home with my parents...

 We're rapidly approaching September and the end of summer now and it's around this time that the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, with the approrpiate acronym of S.A.D generally start to make themselves felt. Some suffering from the condition may start to notice them as early as the middle of August. To avoid symptoms becoming unbearable it is best to start proven treatments as soon as possible and for best results it is often a good idea to use different approaches in combination. I myself suffer very badly from S.A.D and until I realised what the problem was I suffered deep despair and suicidal urges through the autumn and winter. Thankfully I discovered things that helped and now I no longer feel a sense of dread as this time of year approaches. So let's take a brief look at what you can do to stave off S.A.D and milder feelings of...