Dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder

1. GET LIGHT--seasonal affective disorder has a lot to do with not getting enough light or vitamin D in your system. Because of this, your hormone serotonin is reduced, making it harder to eat properly, making your body work harder, stressing you out, etc, etc etc. Spend time in well lit places--especially natural light. There are a variety of products on the market that you can purchase to help deal with severe SAD that can simulate natural light, but this is pretty extreme. Mostly just get outsie--take a walk at lunch and get some sunshine, spend sometime near a window on a sunny day and soak in the rays. Vacation in a sunny place, if you have the means. Typical treatments also include sitting in front of light boxes for periods of time, dawn simulators,

2. NUTRITION: "Avoiding pasta, sugar, and caffeine make a dramatic difference. Yes, all the things I crave so much when I have SAD. I also make sure that I take Vitamin B50, Vitamin D and L-Glutamine every day. From recent research, Vitamin D deficiency is appearing to be a huge factor in SAD and it's symptoms." (http://www.life-with-confidence.com/deal-with-SAD.html#ixzz1g3zIqFKw) Get some Vitamin D supplements (research the right amount of Iu)--but Vitamin D deficiency is a prevalent problem, especially for people living in Ohio.

3. AWARENESS--listen to your body. dont stress it out. if you feel too tired to do something, dont push yourself. That doesnt mean capuitulate, it just means dont add extra stress onto the body.

4. EXERCISE--Exercise is always important. Besides making your body feel better, it creates new neural pathways in your brain, it releases endorphins, physically exerts your body, improves mental and physical health, promotes self image and is just all around a good idea.