Seasonal affective disorder or SAD is a condition which is also known as winter depression (summer depression) or winter blues(summer blues). This is a mood disorder which is cyclic in nature and only occurs either in winters or in summers and hence the name.  A lot of people experience light symptoms of this disorder but some may experience worse symptoms which are necessary to deal with.

Ways to Deal With Seasonal Affective Disorder

The following are some of the most amazing ways to deal with seasonal affective disorder:

  1. The first way to deal with seasonable affective disorder is to know its symptoms.  Without knowing the symptoms of this disorder, there is no way to treat it. Some symptoms include having less energy, sleeping more than usual, losing interest in activities, not being able to think properly and focus.
  2. Maximizing exposure to sunlight is another way to deal with seasonal affective disorder.  For this, you can make your house much brighter by letting in the sun.  Use bright colors on the walls and use light colored upholstery.
  3. Engaging in activities that you like is another way to deal with SAD and uplift your mood. Go out on a vacation or participate in your hobbies. The idea is to keep yourself as happy as you possibly can. Spending time with your friends and family is another good way to do so.
  4. Try and keep yourself as healthy as possible. For this, you must try to get enough sleep, exercise, reduce your stress levels and eat a well-balanced diet.  To remain healthy, you must spend atleast a few years outside your home everyday and exercise outdoors. Limit intake of caffeine and keep your hygienic.
  5. Take care of taking your medication properly and as prescribed by your health provider.  You must make sure that you don’t consume more pills or alternative medicine than the suggested amount and take it regularly.
  6. Avoid consuming alcohol during your phase of seasonal affective disorder as it tends to worsen the symptoms and make you feel more blue. Infact, make sure you don’t indulge in any other types of illegal drugs as well.
  7. Consider light therapy for finding relief from seasonal affective disorder symptoms. For light therapy, you can consider devices like portable light boxes, special light bulbs, battery powered visors and dawn stimulators.  But while using light therapy, you must take care of your health.
  8. Another way to deal with seasonal affective disorder is to talk to you doctor. This disorder is a kind of a depression which may sometimes require professional help. The doctor will help you figure out whether this really is seasonal affective disorder or some other form of depression.
  9. It is a tried and tested method that maintaining a regular daily schedule can also help you in coping with the SAD symptoms. A regular schedule not only improves sleep but also helps in eliminating signs of depression.  Also eating at regular intervals will help you to avoid over eating, which is also a symptom of SAD.

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