Archive for the ‘Women's Health’ Category
An Introduction to Seasonal Affective Disorder-sad
Craig Smith asked:
Seasonal Affective Disorder (or S.A.D. for short) is a very real health condition that millions of people suffer from. The onset of S.A.D. typically occurs in the last few months of the year, when in the northern hemisphere days become shorter and nights longer. Shorter days mean less hours of light. Seasonal Affective Disorder, is so named because this shift to shorter days and longer nights is a seasonal change that occurs in winter, and this shift to lesser amounts of light each day interferes with the brains ability to control moods in those suffering from the disorder.
Our brains, and especially the part of the brain responsible for moods, uses light, and hormones in the body to help in stabilizing our moods and the feelings we experience. For many, during the winter months when there are less hours of light, moods can become unstable, and depression and lethargy can set in. Although the brain can and does still manufacture the hormones that regulate moods, even with decreased amounts of available light for most of us, in some people, the brain is unable to do this when the amount of available light is low.
This is more than just a case of the “blahs” which we can all get from time to time. Seasonal Affective Disorder, and the impact it can have on the individuals suffering from this disorder can be severe. It can limit a person from being able to find enjoyment out of previously enjoyed activities, or to function on a normal basis. It can even lead to major depression, suicidal thoughts, and other issues that often the individual will need to be hospitalized for in order to receive treatments to re-stabilize moods.
You think that those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder must suffer from mood and other emotional disorders year round. In actuality, most of the people with S.A.D. do not exhibit or report symptoms of mood and other emotional disorders at any other time of the year except in winter, functioning normally during spring, summer, and fall. In fact, there are people whose moods are affected by too much light. In contrast to S.A.D., which occurs in the winter, Reverse Season Affective Disorder occurs in summer months when we have longer hours of light, and the brain becomes overwhelmed by this longer lighting, and cannot function properly to regulate moods? You may want to research Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder further if you or someone you know experiences bouts of depression and loss of energy during summer months when most people are outdoors and active.
Medications, and light therapy are the primarily prescribed methods for the treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D, though many other treatments can also be used, and most often are determined on the basis of response to the treatments being used, by the individual being treated. Seasonal Affective Disorder, impacts sufferers differently based on many factors, some of which are still not known. This makes it harder to diagnose and often harder to treat as well because one sufferer may find great relief from their symptoms with some medication and light therapy for example. Unfortunately, due to the varying degrees of the disorder and its coinciding variations in the degree of symptoms, not all those coping with S.A.D. are able to find relief from the symptoms of this disorder through traditional treatments like, light therapy.
When those treatments don’t work, doctors and people trying to cope with the disorder themselves, seek alternative methods for treating the symptoms, some of which can be very debilitating to the sufferer. Alternative treatments such as Yoga are now being recommended more often for those that have not been able to find relief from their symptoms through medications and light therapy alone. Yoga is a form of exercise that considers the body to be comprised of three parts, mind, body, spirit, and Yoga exercises focus on strengthening all three components of the body to achieve the health and fitness it is believed cannot be achieved until or unless, all 3 parts of the body have been made whole, fit, and healthy.
Still others with Seasonal Affective Disorder have turned to hypnotherapy as a means for treating the disorder, and some have found that it works for them. A certified hypnosis therapist leads a patient through a series of mental activities so that a person can become more aware of their individual perception style and how that can also affect the stability of their moods. They are then taught techniques for transforming, limiting or eliminating altogether, thinking behaviors that have been interfering not only with the stabilization of their moods, but in other areas of the individuals life.
As the seasons change and winter arrives, if you find that you have felt depressed for more than two weeks, call your doctor and schedule an appointment to come in and discuss your symptoms and be examined by the doctor to determine if you are suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (or S.A.D. for short) is a very real health condition that millions of people suffer from. The onset of S.A.D. typically occurs in the last few months of the year, when in the northern hemisphere days become shorter and nights longer. Shorter days mean less hours of light. Seasonal Affective Disorder, is so named because this shift to shorter days and longer nights is a seasonal change that occurs in winter, and this shift to lesser amounts of light each day interferes with the brains ability to control moods in those suffering from the disorder.
Our brains, and especially the part of the brain responsible for moods, uses light, and hormones in the body to help in stabilizing our moods and the feelings we experience. For many, during the winter months when there are less hours of light, moods can become unstable, and depression and lethargy can set in. Although the brain can and does still manufacture the hormones that regulate moods, even with decreased amounts of available light for most of us, in some people, the brain is unable to do this when the amount of available light is low.
This is more than just a case of the “blahs” which we can all get from time to time. Seasonal Affective Disorder, and the impact it can have on the individuals suffering from this disorder can be severe. It can limit a person from being able to find enjoyment out of previously enjoyed activities, or to function on a normal basis. It can even lead to major depression, suicidal thoughts, and other issues that often the individual will need to be hospitalized for in order to receive treatments to re-stabilize moods.
You think that those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder must suffer from mood and other emotional disorders year round. In actuality, most of the people with S.A.D. do not exhibit or report symptoms of mood and other emotional disorders at any other time of the year except in winter, functioning normally during spring, summer, and fall. In fact, there are people whose moods are affected by too much light. In contrast to S.A.D., which occurs in the winter, Reverse Season Affective Disorder occurs in summer months when we have longer hours of light, and the brain becomes overwhelmed by this longer lighting, and cannot function properly to regulate moods? You may want to research Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder further if you or someone you know experiences bouts of depression and loss of energy during summer months when most people are outdoors and active.
Medications, and light therapy are the primarily prescribed methods for the treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D, though many other treatments can also be used, and most often are determined on the basis of response to the treatments being used, by the individual being treated. Seasonal Affective Disorder, impacts sufferers differently based on many factors, some of which are still not known. This makes it harder to diagnose and often harder to treat as well because one sufferer may find great relief from their symptoms with some medication and light therapy for example. Unfortunately, due to the varying degrees of the disorder and its coinciding variations in the degree of symptoms, not all those coping with S.A.D. are able to find relief from the symptoms of this disorder through traditional treatments like, light therapy.
When those treatments don’t work, doctors and people trying to cope with the disorder themselves, seek alternative methods for treating the symptoms, some of which can be very debilitating to the sufferer. Alternative treatments such as Yoga are now being recommended more often for those that have not been able to find relief from their symptoms through medications and light therapy alone. Yoga is a form of exercise that considers the body to be comprised of three parts, mind, body, spirit, and Yoga exercises focus on strengthening all three components of the body to achieve the health and fitness it is believed cannot be achieved until or unless, all 3 parts of the body have been made whole, fit, and healthy.
Still others with Seasonal Affective Disorder have turned to hypnotherapy as a means for treating the disorder, and some have found that it works for them. A certified hypnosis therapist leads a patient through a series of mental activities so that a person can become more aware of their individual perception style and how that can also affect the stability of their moods. They are then taught techniques for transforming, limiting or eliminating altogether, thinking behaviors that have been interfering not only with the stabilization of their moods, but in other areas of the individuals life.
As the seasons change and winter arrives, if you find that you have felt depressed for more than two weeks, call your doctor and schedule an appointment to come in and discuss your symptoms and be examined by the doctor to determine if you are suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder (sad)
James S. Pendergraft asked:
If the cool weather of this fall has made you to think of sunny beaches, palm trees and moving to the South, you are not the only one. Every woman experiences the fall effects in one way or the other. For some women, the change from summer’s warmth to winter’s cool and dark days brings a sort of depression, which is coined as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) by experts. Depending upon your location, SAD symptoms begin from late September and might last till April end.
Common telltale SAD symptoms in women include:
Trouble Maintaining Proper Sleep Cycle
Often, women might suffer with a persistent desire for sleep. They can even find it difficult to stay awake at all. Such desires to sleep can even leave them to suffer from extreme levels of fatigue. It is due to fact that they experience interrupted sleep, which has several moments of wakefulness. They find it difficult to maintain a proper sleep cycle. SAD symptom is often accompanied with waking very early.
Lethargy creeps in
Apart from fatigue, there are also cases where a woman might exhibit signs of finding it difficult to carry out her obligations. Her daily routine gets disrupted by lack of desires for doing anything. She might even feel guilty for her unproductive nature. However, it gets ignored, as a result of her illness. In extreme cases of SAD, women have lost their jobs and even found it to affect their family.
Depression
One of the most common SAD symptoms, in case of a woman, is experiencing depression. Guilty feelings, lowered self-image, misery and hopelessness may take a different road and numb her completely. Apathetic state in depression can even have destructive effects in their life.
Overeating
Another common SAD symptom is overeating. Some women experience cravings for foods, primarily reach in sugar or other carbohydrate forms. Overeating usually leads to a gain in weight and therefore perpetuates depression symptom.
Anxiety
Women often tend to avoid contacts with almost everyone in the society (Social anxiety). They can experience frustration and irritability with issues concerning society. Again, her inability of coping with the growing stress might even lead to a decrease in physical contact, even her significant other (General anxiety). On its flip side, women might even experience shorter periods of hypomania (staying over-active during spring & summer). However, it vanishes in spring along with other SAD symptoms.
Presence Of All The Symptoms Is Not Important
In case of sub-syndromal SAD, symptoms such as sleep, lethargic nature and eating problem stays. However, anxiety and depression are mild or absent. So, you should know that even if you are not having all the symptoms, you might still be affected with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
How Lights & Lamps Can Improve Your Situation?
Good news for you is that you have the options of using lamps and lights, which can help in reducing SAD considerably, without using therapy or drugs. You can choose from a range of such lamps & lights and they are absolutely worthwhile, if you are actually carrying this unpleasant disorder.
If the cool weather of this fall has made you to think of sunny beaches, palm trees and moving to the South, you are not the only one. Every woman experiences the fall effects in one way or the other. For some women, the change from summer’s warmth to winter’s cool and dark days brings a sort of depression, which is coined as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) by experts. Depending upon your location, SAD symptoms begin from late September and might last till April end.
Common telltale SAD symptoms in women include:
Trouble Maintaining Proper Sleep Cycle
Often, women might suffer with a persistent desire for sleep. They can even find it difficult to stay awake at all. Such desires to sleep can even leave them to suffer from extreme levels of fatigue. It is due to fact that they experience interrupted sleep, which has several moments of wakefulness. They find it difficult to maintain a proper sleep cycle. SAD symptom is often accompanied with waking very early.
Lethargy creeps in
Apart from fatigue, there are also cases where a woman might exhibit signs of finding it difficult to carry out her obligations. Her daily routine gets disrupted by lack of desires for doing anything. She might even feel guilty for her unproductive nature. However, it gets ignored, as a result of her illness. In extreme cases of SAD, women have lost their jobs and even found it to affect their family.
Depression
One of the most common SAD symptoms, in case of a woman, is experiencing depression. Guilty feelings, lowered self-image, misery and hopelessness may take a different road and numb her completely. Apathetic state in depression can even have destructive effects in their life.
Overeating
Another common SAD symptom is overeating. Some women experience cravings for foods, primarily reach in sugar or other carbohydrate forms. Overeating usually leads to a gain in weight and therefore perpetuates depression symptom.
Anxiety
Women often tend to avoid contacts with almost everyone in the society (Social anxiety). They can experience frustration and irritability with issues concerning society. Again, her inability of coping with the growing stress might even lead to a decrease in physical contact, even her significant other (General anxiety). On its flip side, women might even experience shorter periods of hypomania (staying over-active during spring & summer). However, it vanishes in spring along with other SAD symptoms.
Presence Of All The Symptoms Is Not Important
In case of sub-syndromal SAD, symptoms such as sleep, lethargic nature and eating problem stays. However, anxiety and depression are mild or absent. So, you should know that even if you are not having all the symptoms, you might still be affected with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
How Lights & Lamps Can Improve Your Situation?
Good news for you is that you have the options of using lamps and lights, which can help in reducing SAD considerably, without using therapy or drugs. You can choose from a range of such lamps & lights and they are absolutely worthwhile, if you are actually carrying this unpleasant disorder.