Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects millions of people worldwide, it is thought of as a winter depression with signs and symptoms varying from one person to the next. It can affect anyone whether they have an underlying mental illness or not. The most common symptoms are difficulty in getting out of bed in the morning, craving carbohydrates that leads to weight gain, low mood, regularly feeling tired and fed up and not knowing why. There are many theories as why this happens but they all lead to the changes in light. Melatonin (hormone) is a brain chemical that regulates our sleeping cycles, it is thought that because the weather is more consistently dim/dull/drab that we produce more melatonin causing a depression in alertness, wakefulness and positive moods.

This blog is not claiming that chiropractic can cure SAD, it is purely spreading the word to let people who get these signs and symptoms that you are not alone and help is available. What we can offer are ways for you to help yourself beat the winter blues with aids such as light box therapy (not sun beds!!), diet on vital vitamins during the winter and in extreme cases referral to your GP for medication.

Adjustments and soft tissue work may also help by releasing the happy chemicals serotonin and endorphin by stimulation of the nervous system from tensional release of the muscles and joints.

Remember that diet and exercise will help almost any condition so why not help yourself and get the life you have in the summer right now in the winter!

http://www.webmd.com/depression/features/seasonal-affective-disorder http://uppercervicalsubluxation.sharepoint.com/Pages/2013_1257_depression.aspx

#SAD #Lowmood #Nutrition #Goodsleep