SAD, Depressed, Fatigued, Weight Gain... You May Have Seasonal Affective Disorder

For millions of people the fall and winter seasons bring a descent into low energy levels, moodiness and varying degrees of depression. Their bodies slow down and they feel mental and physical fatigue. They crave carbohydrates and gain weight. They’re slow to wake in the morning. The change in energy level for many is so extreme they have trouble functioning.

This condition has been labeled Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and it occurs during the fall and winter when people are exposed to fewer hours of natural sunlight. As the seasons change and days shorten, they do not get enough natural light during the day to properly regulate the production of melatonin that occurs in the evening. Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland that helps regulate sleep and has a slowing effect on the nervous system. This biological signal sets off a cascade of adverse responses that lifts in spring from longer sun filled days.

There is a lot of information about SAD available today. The medical definition of SAD is symptoms of moodiness, fatigue and depression coinciding with seasons of shorter days and less sunlight causing circadian rhythm (internal time clock) disruption and hormonal imbalance. Additional symptoms include a craving for sugary foods and refined carbohydrates. These are accurate symptoms of SAD; however, let’s reflect on the root cause of this disorder.

The primary cause of SAD is the lack of exposure to the full-spectrum of sunlight. This is because we’ve evolved under the natural sun which provides an essential element — light energy is life energy — it’s something that we need on a frequent basis in order to achieve optimum wellness, just like vitamins and minerals that support our health. When we don't get enough balanced sunlight, we suffer from a bio-nutritional deficiency, much like when we don’t consume nutritious foods.

Interestingly, SAD can actually be described as a sub-syndrome of mal-illumination. Mal-illumination is a contemporary medical syndrome similar to malnutrition, but brought about by limited access to 'balanced' full-spectrum light. Mal-illumination is not limited to a seasonal occurrence. Unwittingly, mal-illumination affects many millions of people all year long, primarily because of the shift to an indoor work/lifestyle associated with the Age of Information. We work, live, and even play inside more now than at any previous time in history. Too much artificial ‘limited-spectrum’ indoor light, especially at night, and shielding ourselves from the sun with such things as tinted windows, windshields, sunglasses and suntan lotions all contribute to mal-illumination.

Mal-illumination silently contributes too many health problems beyond SAD, some which are quite serious. Obesity, clinical depression, fatigue, sleep and eating disorders as well as breast, prostate and colon cancer have all been linked to insufficient exposure to full spectrum light.  

Our bodies, much like plants, are wired to take advantage of full spectrum sunlight. Research shows that — our genes are programmed to respond to exposure to full spectrum light — now believed to be essential for the development, growth and maintenance of a healthy body and mind.

A person, who makes it a habit to get natural sunlight, preferably daily, can experience a wide range of healthful benefits including improvement in energy, mood, natural weight management and overall well being. So, reversing Seasonal Affective Disorder is not only simple and straightforward, it also reduces the risk of mal-illumination and it’s free of charge! Of course, it may be difficult to get natural sunlight on a regular basis based on varying circumstances, so the next best thing is to get balanced, full-spectrum lighting indoors. When indoors, full-spectrum light therapy is a good choice if you can't get nature’s light therapy… the sun.

Interested in more information about light and health? Visit Science of Light (SOL), a non-profit organization that offers a free e-Book: MAL-ILLUMINATION… the silent epidemic as well as enlightening health research and cutting edge, full-spectrum lights. SOL is dedicated to the memory of pioneering photobiologist, Dr. John Ott — the father of full-spectrum light technology. SOL works to raise awareness of mal-illumination.