Winter doldrums bring ‘SAD’ tidings to Western Pennsylvania
Moon Halo
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
A halo was seen around the full moon on Nov. 23.
During the winter months, most people worry about cold and flu season. Spending time in crowded spaces and touching public surfaces increases the probability of getting sick; but avoiding crowds and disinfecting grocery carts only protects against germs.
In the Pittsburgh area, germs aren’t the only things that affect health. The weather, and more specifically, cloud cover, can have a negative effect on your health too.
According to the National Climatic Data Center, Pittsburgh has an average of 203 cloudy days per year. Known as the “Steel City”, Pittsburgh also earned the name “The Seattle of the East” for how that city is prone to rain. Pittsburgh was also voted one of the unhappiest cities in 2014.
There might be a connection. The weather in Pittsburgh can be hazardous for your mental health.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Students walks on the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in this Observer-Reporter file photo.
During the winter months, days are shorter, nights are longer, and less time is spent outdoors. Sunlight enables the body to absorb Vitamin D, which balances serotonin levels that affect mood, and melatonin that supports sleep. A lack of sunlight, even with a diet rich in Vitamin D, can cause the body to be deficient, resulting in a depressed mood and disruption in sleep.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, more commonly known as SAD, can cause depression, reduced energy, fatigue, weight loss or gain and decreased interest in activities once enjoyed. Although the exact cause is unknown, SAD occurs most commonly in the fall and winter months; and is associated with less daylight, shorter days, and longer nights. Statistically, SAD is more common in women, but affects men too.
Braden Ambrose, a mental health therapist in private practice at Southwestern Human Services, sees a lot of cases of SAD locally, especially during the fall and winter months, but notes that people can be affected year round.
Many people experience a change in mood through the winter months, but only a professional can make a true diagnosis. Because of the Pittsburgh weather, residents can be affected by a combination of both vitamin D deficiency and SAD.
“In my practice, a diagnosis of SAD is made through a series of questions and basic review of daily habits and mood changes that cannot otherwise be explained. Most people acknowledge they have symptoms of seasonal affective disorder; however, most people don’t take the time or initiative to have their Vitamin D levels checked with a simple blood test, or to make the extra effort for self-care to improve symptoms,” Ambrose said.
“Most everyone in the state of Pennsylvania could be considered deficient in Vitamin D because of the high number of cloudy days, especially through the winter. Once you find out you are Vitamin D deficient, consult your doctor about the correct dosage of over-the-counter supplements. If you have a particularly sunny day, with enough sun exposure, 20 minutes outside in the sun can give you your daily allowance of Vitamin D. This rarely happens in the winter because there is little skin exposed due to the cold.”
Treatments for SAD are very effective, but Ambrose warns that everything works differently for different people.
“If it is truly SAD, and not a more serious form of depression, I encourage people to try self-care methods before looking to add psychotropic medication. Some examples of self-care would be keeping the main spaces of your home/work environment well-lit, regular exercise, spending at least 20 minutes outside each day, eating foods high in serotonin, and taking a daily Vitamin D supplement.”
The most common clinical treatment methods include light therapy, medication management for depressive symptoms, and outpatient therapy. Taking daily Vitamin D supplements; and eating foods high in serotonin like salmon, milk, soy, spinach, eggs, poultry, and nuts can be help too.
Ambrose feels taking a break from the dreary Pittsburgh weather can be an option for some.
“Many people who have the ability to do so, will take a long weekend or trip someplace warm and sunny during this time to break up the long winter and bask in the sun for a few days. Unfortunately, many of us do not have the financial resources or flexibility in our lives to do something like this.”
Although Pittsburgh has more than its fair share of cloudy days and the fall and winter months seem to drag on longer every year; spring will come again. In the meantime, those who feel they might be affected by Vitamin D deficiency or seasonal affective disorder should seek help from a professional. Both conditions are treatable, and residents can feel more like themselves, and once again enjoy all that this wonderful, yet dreary, city has to offer.