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Many of us are experiencing an increase in the winter blues this year due to the pandemic, but for some, it might be something more. "As that coldness comes in, people start to feel almost a gloominess — a lack of energy, a mood shift if you will," Dr. Michael Breus, aka "The Sleep Doctor" explains. "That can then over the course of time lead to something called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or S.A.D."
Seasonal Affective Disorder, a subtype of depression, has some very specific symptoms, according to the sleep doc. These include sadness, lack of energy and overeating. "But the biggest difference between the winter blues and S.A.D. symptoms is the loss of interest in pleasurable activities. Things that used to make you laugh, things that you used to enjoy, they're not as fun anymore," he says. "Then, unfortunately, sleep becomes an issue as well."
"We know that our sleep gets dramatically affected by both depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder as well as the winter blues."
"Something that we've talked about before — that I wanted to introduce as a new way of doing something — it's called light therapy," Dr. Breus says. "You can have a light box when you wake up in the morning if the sun isn't out because you wake up early. Well unfortunately, during winter time you don't get a
RELATED: Can Amber Light Bulbs Help With Sleep Problems?
"What's interesting is they now make glasses that you can put on with light therapy built in," Dr. Breus says.
You can shop the light therapy glasses Dr. Breus spoke about on our show here.
"But remember, these are used for people with Seasonal Affective Disorder. For people who have just the winter blues, they can do a few other things before they get to a product like this," the sleep doc adds. "One of the biggies is consuming Vitamin D."
If you believe you are experiencing symptoms of S.A.D. or depression, always consult your doctor or psychiatrist before seeking treatment.
