Fall depression can hit anyone. Like any seasonal depression, it occurs with the advent of the new season. It is favored by shorter, cloudy days, cold and rainy weather. Growing fatigue, bad mood, decreased intellectual performance … Specialists call this state a seasonal affective disorder. Learn effective methods for fall depression.
Is teasing youautumn depression ? Deterioration of mood, depressive thoughts, constant fatigue … However, while looking for ways to cureautumn depression , have you thought about changing your diet? In the Polish tradition, it has been accepted that fatty foods should be eaten in the colder seasons. However, this is a myth that is not good for your he alth. Fatty foods, sweets, alcohol and coffee cause lethargy, apathy and slow down thought processes.
Autumn diet - what should be included
Our diet has a huge impact on our well-being. What we eat depends on whether we will have the strength to struggle every day and effectively reduce the feeling of fatigue. Therefore, products with low nutritional value should be avoided. Our dishes should be rich in vitamins and trace elements, fruits and vegetables. It is equally important to provide the right dose of whole grain bread or even cereal grains themselves, rich in B vitamins, which strengthen the nervous system. It is worth enriching the diet with fish, because the fats contained in them favor the synthesis of serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for our mood. Nuts and the right amount of water are very desirable in the autumn menu, and eating meals regularly prevents the feeling of weariness and irritation.
Autumn depression - symptoms
Fall tendencies to depression are something natural. This is called seasonal affective disorder. As scientists have proved, it is closely related to less sun. The sun's rays not only stimulate our body to produce vitamin D, responsible for the absorption of calcium. Under their influence, hormones responsible for our well-being are also produced. One of them is melatonin, which largely controls the circadian rhythm of sleep and wakefulness. During the day, its amount in the body is negligible, because it decomposes under the influence of sunlight, but after dark and at night its amount may increaseeven several times. It causes a feeling of drowsiness and relaxation. It introduces us to a blissful state that makes it easier to fall asleep, which, if very desirable in the evening, during the day can cause us problems, giving us depressive symptoms.
Among the most common symptomsautumn depressionmentions: feeling loss, excessive sadness, trouble concentrating, irritability, anxiety, fear, anxiety, loss of interest, excessive sleepiness, constant feeling of hunger (particular appetite for sweets), weight gain, decreased libido.
Phototherapy is a good way to deal with fall depression
We spend most of our time indoors in the fall. It's dark outside when we go and when we come home from work. Therefore, phototherapy can be extremely helpful. It consists in irradiating lamps with an intensity similar to sunlight. It becomes more and more popular. Illumination takes place during 20-30-minute sessions. However, not only the time is important, but also the time of day, the intensity of this light or the angle of its incidence. It is recommended to undergo phototherapy in the mornings and evenings, when the sun deficit is most felt. Thanks to this, external solar stimuli reaching the body are similar to those that take place in summer. Then, the level of melatonin decreases, and with it, subsequent disease symptoms gradually disappear. Specialists emphasize the great effectiveness of phototherapy in the treatment of seasonal depression. According to various sources, the improvement is observed in about 80 percent. patients.