The Depression Trap

This morning I woke up and the sun was shining. I immediately felt more positive than I had yesterday, a dull, overcast day. This reminded me that a number of my clients have also commented on how they feel better on a sunny day. You may be familiar with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression triggered by the lack of sunlight in the winter months, but it may be that exposure to sunlight also has an impact on those suffering from more traditional forms of depression.

No one is sure why sunlight should have an impact on our mood. Some theorise that it has an impact on our levels of serotonin and other mood related hormones. This may be because our body clock gets out of balance during the short winter days and therefore too much melatonin is produced. It may also be that we have positive associations to sunlight e.g. summer holidays, long lazy days in childhood etc. This could be why just waking up and seeing a blue sky with the sun shining can help us to feel in a more positive mood.

Whatever the reason, it’s worth taking note of whether or not your depression is effected by sunshine. With spring upon us this is s a good time to take note of your reaction to the sun. You could keep a sun-mood diary, writing down each day how you feel on a scale of 1 to 10 and making a note of whether it’s cloudy, sunny, etc. If you find you are effected by sunlight then its worth taking some steps to increase your exposure. Consider the following:

1. Spend 20minutes outside each day. This can be especially important in the winter when there is less sunshine. An excellent approach is to take a 20 minute walk, as this also ensures that you get some exercise. Why not experiment with what works for you? Try a 20 minute walk each day for a few weeks and see how you feel.
2. Gardening is an excellent way of spending time in natural light all year round and is good exercise too.
3. In the summer you may choose to sit outside and read, chat to friends, or just lie down and relax. (Though do be careful to use sun tan lotion if you are going to be outside for any length of time.)
4. Actively think about how you can spend more time outside. If its warm enough to sit outside then all kinds of tasks can be taken outside – sewing, reading a magazine, writing letters, even peeling vegetables.
5. If you find you are really affected by sunlight then you may want to invest in a full spectrum lamp (SAD lamp). These lamps mimic the effect of sunlight and by spending time under one in the winter months you can help to lift your mood. There have been a number of studies showing that such lamps can be very effective in treating SAD and there is some evidence that they may help with other forms of depression too.