Are you unusually fatigued? You could be SAD.

Are you tired and don't know why? You've slept well, maybe too well. A little withdrawn. You could be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), sometimes called the "winter blahs". It is a physical disorder that can be easily handled. Basically it is a lack of extended light in your day. These are the symptoms:

Sleep problems: Usually desire to oversleep and difficulty staying awake but, in some cases, disturbed sleep and early morning wakening
Lethargy: Feeling of fatigue and inability to carry out normal routine
Overeating: Craving for carbohydrates and sweet foods, usually resulting in weight gain
Depression: Feelings of misery, guilt and loss of self-esteem, sometimes hopelessness and despair, sometimes apathy and loss of feelings
Social problems: Irritability and desire to avoid social contact
Anxiety: Tension and inability to tolerate stress
Loss of libido Decreased interest in sex and physical contact
Mood changes In some sufferers, extremes of mood and short periods of hypomania (overactivity) in spring and autumn.

More at this:

www.sada.org.uk...

I have felt this in the last few weeks, I hope this helps those chronically "winter tired".

Two year ago I've heard that from my doctor in Holland. I got one week to get better (officially ill)

seriously -this is lack of outside activities -we are humans -we need sun...

I guess you should relax, get a walk in the country, take day off from your job, it helps....

[edit on 20-12-2004 by jazzgul]

Problem is that I work in a jail, no windows, the only sun I get is the drive home. Not enough.

How big distance do you have from your work to your home??? Maybe you should walk, or take a bike?-I used to do that - frankly I have the same problem now, as I work at home -if I hadn't my dog I would be lost...

I heard some time ago that SAD was attempted to be changed to COLD (I can't recall what it stood for) because of the negative image associated with it just like multiple personallity disorder was changed to dissociative identity disorder.

They make a uv light that simulates sunlight now that has become more affordible over the past few years. I picked one up for about $120 and it does help. I would advise looking into it if you have this problem.

Work is about 60k, so car is the only option.

Thanks Jonna, I will look into this. I'm tired of being tired.

WHAT IS SAD? Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a specific type of recurring depressive illness that manifests in an annual pattern, usually from early-to-late fall and subsiding with the longer, sunnier days of spring.1 Some people have the milder form, called Subsyndromal-Seasonal Affective Disorder (S-SAD), also called Winter Blues, which causes minor problems in their lives but not the total disruption that full-blown Seasonal Affective Disorder causes.

This is the Winter-Seasonal Affective Disorder subtype; another subtype is Summer-Seasonal Affective Disorder, which occurs in the spring & summer months. Summer-Seasonal Affective Disorder is much rarer than Winter-Seasonal Affective Disorder, is less well researched, and its cause is undetermined. Throughout this website, unless otherwise noted, the term "SAD" refers specifically to Winter-Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Researchers have confirmed that specific biological changes within the brain occur in response to different levels of bright light exposure, and that these biochemical changes affect hormones and neurotransmitters responsible for regulating our mood, energy, sleep and appetite. In the majority of the population, these changes are not troublesome; they simply cause minor variations in their annual rhythms. For those with SAD, though, these changes are profound enough to cause significant disruption to their lives.

The term "full spectrum" is a loosely defined term in the lighting industry. Generally, it refers to light that has a color temperature of between 5,000-6,500� Kelvin. It may, but does not necessarily, include the UV wavelengths - again, the term is loosely defined, and is used differently by different lighting companies. At The SunBox Company, we use the term to mean the visible portion of the spectrum, without the UV wavelengths.

Full spectrum light, regardless of whether it contains UV, appears whiter than other types of artificial light - cool white, warm white, broad spectrum - as it contains a greater distribution of colors within the visible spectrum (White light is composed of all the different colors of the spectrum). Cool white bulbs, for example, appear yellow-orange when compared with full spectrum bulbs, because they are significantly deficient in the blue-green part of the spectrum.

All SunBox light boxes use bulbs that emit color temperatures of 5,000-5,500� Kelvin. As stated in the Safety section above, we eliminate the UV wavelengths from our light boxes with the acrylic diffuser.

www.visionweaver.com...

The one I have is from a company called Sunbox (I think), but I'm not seeing in on the net so I might be wrong. I just read in front of in for half and hour every night or every other night and it seems to help.

winter is the best season i love it but feel depressed a lot i do more things in the summer as well generally excerise more too is their a online test we can take?

Originally posted by jazzgul
Two year ago I've heard that from my doctor in Holland. I got one week to get better (officially ill)

seriously -this is lack of outside activities -we are humans -we need sun...

I guess you should relax, get a walk in the country, take day off from your job, it helps....

Then maybe:
a) Your doctor's a quack
b) You can deal with it better than some.

I'm S.A.D. as well, diagnosed three years ago by my psychologist, whom I had been seeing for depression.

Shortly after diagnosis, my mother bought me a UV light - since then, I've moved into a dark, cramped little apartment, but the light still does its duty.

I can't get out much - I work from my apartment. I get "out" on the way to school (night school, 5-9 PM,) and occasionally to get groceries, things like that. Never more than three hours a day outside, anymore.

I have my days - but I tend to get along fine.