When the day gets smaller, and the nights longer, an impending sadness can engulf some. Whether it is the lack of melanin in daylight or the cold weather, there are certain triggers that can come from the colder months.

This phenomenon was always known as seasonal gloom. After all, associating a serious mental health condition like depression didn’t seem very fitting. However, it is wrong to assume that depression must always be a year-long suffering. Therefore, the person diagnosed with this disease will always suffer.

Depression can be seasonal and attack an individual for only four months a year.

What Is SAD?

In medical terms, SAD is the abbreviation for Seasonal Affective Disorder.

When the sun sets late in the evening, it builds an appropriate routine. With the darkness resuming, our body’s circadian system prepares it for sleep. However, when the sun starts setting early in the afternoon and the daytime is shorter, it can affect our circadian negatively.

At its best, it can only lead to a lack of energy after sunset. At its worst, it can lead to seasonal depression. It is when the change of season, and the lack of melanin from the shorter daytime, can disrupt the secretion of serotonin. The lack of happy chemicals is causing SAD.

How To Deal With Seasonal Depression

Although seasonal depression subsides with the coming of spring, it is still not okay to suffer through the colder months. Here are some of the doctor’s recommended methods to cure your seasonal depression.

1. Ready Your Mind For The Season

Preparation can help you focus on how to deal with the situation rather than sulking about the forthcoming. Here is how you can prepare for the winter months and keep your SAD at bay.

Try to bring out the warmth in your surroundings with the help of cozy decors and comfortable woolen. Sometimes the cold can trigger depression, so try to keep yourself as warm as possible.

Initiate enjoyable Fall season activities like going out with friends, trying Autumn fashion, or cooking delicious Fall delicacies.

2 . Consult A Therapist

Sometimes things can go out of hand, and you will need professional help. Consult a therapist for your SAD. With the help of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the therapist will help you recognize your SAD triggers.

Simultaneously, provide medical solutions for avoiding or dealing with such triggers. When you suffer from any form of depression, having regular therapy should be a must in your lifestyle.

We are often scared of these diseases because we do not know what to do. This is why self-awareness is such an important part of a cure for depression. Consult some of the best therapists to book your first depression therapy in Singapore.

3. Light Up Your Interiors

The gloom and the darkness outside could lead to depressive thoughts. Plus, lights are equivalent to our energy levels. So, if you are feeling low in energy after sundown, you need to light up your interior.

Other than plain LED lights, try decorating with warm-tone lights, fairy lights, and lamps. Plus, you can also get an electric fireplace if you do not have a real one. Plus, adding candles to your decor also gives it a warm hue which can help cut through the lack of energy and bloom.

4. Try Antidepressants For SAD (If Required)

This is one of the last accords for anyone. If the depression is getting out of hand, you can speak to your therapist. If the diagnosis is severe, they can always recommend you to a psychiatrist.

Since they themselves cannot prescribe, the psychiatrist will give you a certain dose of antidepressant for the SAD. However, this should be the last resort, and one shouldn’t be too dependent on it.

5. Do Not Miss On Physical Activities

Social activities will be your solace when it comes to Seasonal Affective Disorder. Have a schedule to keep yourself active and indulge in more physical activities.

Try running or cycling in the daylight to get most of the melanin dosage. You can also call upon your friends for company.

Holistic activities like yoga, aromatherapy, and acupuncture can also help relieve some of the high cortisol levels during this time.