It’s SAD time

This weekend marks the end of Daylight Saving Time and the beginning of several dark, depressing months for those half a million people with Seasonal Affective Disorder.  SAD is a winter depression that can be mild or severe.  It is caused by a lack of  sunlight during the winter months.  The syptoms are sleep problems, fatique, overeating and weight gain, depression, anxiety, social problems, sexual dysfunction, and mood swings all of which can lead to a weakened immune system. 

Daylight Saving Time was put into place to give us some extra hours of daylight during the spring and summer months.  In theory it saves energy, reduces crime, and keeps children from going to school in the dark.  Here in CA they have considered staying on Daylight Saving Time all year long.  It could still happen.  However, Arizona doesn’t recognize it at all so half the year they are on Mountain time and the other half they are on Pacific time.  Hawaii is another state that doesn’t adjust their clocks and until this year Indiana was the most confusing of all.  They left it up to the individual counties so there were 10 that chose not to observe while the rest of the state did.  Wierd I know but they finally came to their senses in April.  I am not looking forward to the time change.  I prefer Daylight Saving Time to standard.  I want as much sunlight as I can possibly get.  It makes me happy when it’s sunny outside and I don’t suffer from SAD!!  

 The one extra hour of sleep we get on Sunday might make us happy for a week or so but then there’s darkness.  Darkness when we go to work and darkness when we come home.  The switch back to Standard Time along with the shorter winter days will make for very little sunlight for those working an 8-5 or 9-6 schedule.  Some people work in places that don’t have windows so they get less than 2 hours of sunshine per day.  This is very unhealthy to those susceptible to SAD.  There are a few treatments that involve sitting in front of a light box, taking anti-depressants, or psychotherapy but many people with SAD don’t realize what’s wrong with them.  So if any of your friends, family, or co-workers are suffering form the winter time blues they may have SAD and not realize it.  For more information about SAD click here and don’t forget to set your clocks back one hour this Sunday.