Daylight Savings & Depression

Tonight is when we acknowledge daylight savings and turn our clocks back one hour. Tomorrow, many will feel refreshed after getting an extra hour of sleep. Eventually, our skies will turn dark as early as 4:00pm, in some areas. With this, many will experience feelings of depression. Psychologists report behaviors and emotions such as “Low energy, sleeping more, over eating, possible weight gain, craving carbohydrates and social withdraw…” all are attributed to what is known as Seasonal Affect Disorder. (SAD) Having less light exposure puts a damper on one’s mood and mental state, which can also lead to feelings of loneliness and sadness.

Professionals recommend the following to combat SAD:
“If you normally exercise after work, try exercising earlier in the morning, before work, Light therapy, Higher intake of Vitamin D, Psychotherapy.” Staying outdoors during the day absorbs more sunlight making you feel more joyful. Then when the sun goes down, connect with friends and family via phone or in person, to maintain human interaction and good mood levels.

http://newschannel9.com/news/local/fall-back-time-change-connected-to-seasonal-depression