Daylight Saving Time & The Connection To Seasonal Affective Disorder
Written by djfrosty on October 29, 2024
Daylight saving time will occur during the first week of November, signaling shorter days and longer nights for all but two states across the United States. Daylight saving time also typically clashes with those who suffer from Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and we explain how the two are often connected.
Daylight saving time, or DST, is when clocks are set an hour ahead in the warm months to extend daylight hours, especially the late sunset times of summer. In the spring, hence the term “spring forward,” clocks are set one hour ahead while during the fall months, the term “fall back” signifies the clock going back one hour to what is known as standard time.
As with many things, DST’s implementation in the States was motivated by a desire for productivity and commerce with many citizens claiming that the longer days that DST provides lowers energy consumption due to fewer lights, encourages more outdoor activities, and more. Only Hawaii and much of Arizona do not employ DST. Outside of the states, where it is called “summer time” in the United Kingdom and portions of Europe, DST is only observed by a small portion of other nations. DST is not observed for countries near the equator because there is little variation in sunrise and sunset times.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, Seasonal affective disorder is considered a form of depression with two onset periods which we’ll examine below. Primarily, the “fall back” period of DST is mostly connected to Seasonal affective disorder as the overarching explanation is that shorter days and longer nights can trigger chemical changes in the brain and thus the onset of depression.
While the fall and winter seasons are seen as the periods where most SAD episodes materialize, they can occur in individuals during the warmer months. However, the most recognized school of thought is that with less sunlight, those aforementioned chemical changes occur most often. Further, the hormone melatonin, which helps to regulate sleep cycles, increases in the dark and is highest at night, hence the feelings of restfulness. The hormone has some tangential links to SAD but studies are still determining the connection.
As we shared earlier, SAD manifests itself in individuals in two ways. Fall-onset, the most common form, starts in the late fall and extends into the winter months and is sometimes called winter depression. For some, the depressive episodes last into the summer. Spring-onset, as the name suggests, can happen in late spring and extend through early summer. It is also called summer depression and isn’t as widely reported as winter depression.
People who suffer from SAD exhibit a variety of symptoms which include fatigue, weight gain, physical pain, anxiety, loss of interest in social activities, problems with focusing, increased appetite for sugar and carbs, decreased sex drive, and other ailments.
If one is diagnosed with SAD, there are several pathways for treatment that are not dissimilar to treatment for anxiety and depression. For winter depression, exposure to the sun, taking walks during the day, or sitting by a window and getting natural light can be a mood booster. Other treatments can include light therapy under the guidance of a healthcare provider, psychotherapy, and antidepressants.
To be proactive in treating SAD, the first thing most experts suggest is seeking professional help. From there, a treatment plan can be developed with a healthcare provider better suited to help one tackle their episodes. Another method is to not isolate and instead reach out to friends, family, and loved ones for social activities. Being mindful of your diet and increasing physical activity are also helpful tactics. One of the most important ways to get help is to allow those who care about you to help them lift you out of the darkness.
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Depression isn’t a condition that one can will away overnight and several underlying factors contribute to the negative feelings. Seasonal affective disorder is no different and there is no such thing as a quick fix.
With time, and with some of the suggested ways to seek help, most individuals will find their way back to their brightest and best selves. Overall, remember to be kind to yourself as you forge ahead in the journey to better mental health.
For more details, please visit this page from the National Institute of Mental Health, which goes over much of what we covered here.
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Photo: Getty