Spring is Upon Us

Tiny blue flowers are blooming on the boulevard. These little Siberian Squill are the first flowers to appear. Daylily leaves are now pushing their way up through the dirt. It is partially sunny today, and the temperature is improving. Today will be in the 50s. But this week we actually hit 70 degrees for the first time since probably last October.

For someone with SAD, that is a somber fact. That was six months ago. And yet, spring returns every year and SAD fades into the background. Yes, it will come to the forefront again in the fall, but for now, those of us with SAD are beginning to have a respite from the dark days of winter.

I'm not using my Happy Light anymore. The angle of the natural light has improved greatly and there are more sunny days than not now.

We are all stuck indoors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staying at Home is the right thing to do and we're all adjusting. A daily walk around the block is a good idea, but we're inside most of the time. It's good we have windows to see outside and enjoy the sun when it shines.

I am thankful today that it is April and spring is upon us because it would be even more difficult to deal with everything going on if I was also suffering from SAD.

We are turning a corner, everyone! Hopefully in the next couple months, the coronavirus will be fading too. Then we'll really get to enjoy the outdoors again!

Snow in April

It's snowing today in Minnesota. I know it won't last long. The weather forecast calls for 65 degrees on Tuesday.

And yet.

My mood is down because it is gray, dreary, and snowy. It's not nearly as bad as in January when almost the entire month was gray and dreary and often snowy.

But still. It can be hard for people with SAD to get through days that are gloomy.

My family says I'm like a light switch. Sunny days = good mood. Gray days = sad mood. Even if the days are right next to each other, like a light switch my mood changes according to the weather.

My therapist says that I am "solar powered" which is so true.

I run off the sun.

Tomorrow looks to be gray and rainy. But I'll look forward to Monday and Tuesday when the temperatures rise and the sun shines!

Signs and Symptoms of SAD

There are actually two kinds of Seasonal Affective Disorder: Fall and Winter SAD & Spring and Summer SAD.

I suffer from Fall and Winter SAD.

I've never met anyone who suffers from Spring and Summer SAD. Since these are my favorite seasons, it's hard for me to relate but it's a real problem with real consequences.

According the the Mayo Clinic website, the signs and symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder may include:

• Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day
• Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Having low energy
• Having problems with sleeping
• Experiencing changes in your appetite or weight
• Feeling sluggish or agitated
• Having difficulty concentrating
• Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty
• Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide

In addition, people with Fall and Winter SAD may experience:

• Oversleeping
• Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
• Weight gain
• Tiredness or low energy

Spring and Summer SAD may include:

• Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
• Poor appetite
• Weight loss
• Agitation or anxiety

Since I have pretty severe Fall and Winter SAD, I have experienced all of these signs and symptoms at some point. Most of them all winter long.

Luckily, it's turning spring-like across the country and symptoms of Fall and Winter SAD are starting to lessen. Unfortunately, they may be ramping up for Spring and Summer SAD sufferers.

If you can identify with having SAD, it might be time to get some help and figure out what you can do to make life easier for yourself.

On this blog, I'll discuss the things I found that help me make it through winter with SAD.

Thanks for stopping by! And I hope this helps.