Seasonal depression, winter blues, seasonal affective disorder. Many expressions are used to describe the result of a yearly phenomenon no one in Quebec can avoid: low light levels in winter, which are up to 50 times lower than in summer. Let\u2019s look at an overview of this illness that has crept into Quebec and some ways to get around it.<\/p>\n
WHAT IS IT?<\/strong> Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal, a pioneer of light therapy, discovered that light plays a major role on the internal biological clock controlling several essential body functions, such as sleep-wake patterns and the secretion of such hormones as serotonin (known as the happy hormone) and melatonin (normally secreted only at night and which manages sleep patterns). Clearly, any resulting hormonal imbalance could be puzzling for the body and mind.<\/p>\n HOW TO AVOID IT?<\/strong>
\nWinter depression, caused by the lack of sunlight (technically, we get 100,000 lux of sunlight on summer days and 2,000 lux in wintertime), is characterized by a lack of energy and depression. In Canada, women are most affected by these short days with little sun, whereas teenagers and children are the least affected by this phenomenon.<\/p>\n
\nWhen it comes to seasonal depression, the phrase \u201cBetter safe than sorry\u201d makes perfect sense. There are several simple actions that can give us more energy and put us in a better mood during the months when sunlight is lowest.<\/p>\n