SAD: How to Keep Seasonal Affective Disorder in Check
During the wintertime (and other times throughout the year) many writers feel down or depressed. This is probably because we don’t get out of the office enough. The amount of sunshine or intense light we get a day can directly affect how we feel. Lack of sun during the winter months can even cause a condition that is called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Dr. Sanam Hafeez, an NYC based licenses clinical psychologist and faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teachers College, explains that “a cell in the retinas of our eyes called a ganglion cell contains the photopigment melanopsin. When we are exposed to sunlight, melanopsin signals a pathway to cells in the hypothalamus specifically responsible for regulating our bodies biological functions. This process then triggers the pineal gland which is in charge of melatonin secretion which peaks at night and wears off during the day. In simpler terms, the less light exposure we get, more out of whack we feel.”
To help you understand the concept of SAD better, and to help you combat it, take a look at this infographic:
