When is Anxiety More Than Anxiety? :: Emotional and Mental Health

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When is Anxiety More Than Anxiety?
by author Craig Hudson, MD, FRCP(c)

Feeling anxious this winter with an increased need for sleep and an unusual craving for sweets? Like two to three out of every 100 Canadians, you may suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

This form of atypical depression manifests itself during the dark days of winter, causing fluctuation in mood, fatigue, weight gain, irritability, and a heavy sensation in arms and legs.

Brighten Your Day

Since SAD occurs in the dark winter months, an obvious and effective treatment is to “extend your day” with light therapy. Exposure to fluorescent light for 30 minutes to two hours each morning can stimulate the body’s production of vitamin D to generally make you feel better. Experts recommend treatment with a light intensity of 10,000 lux.

Some cautions about light therapy, though: to avoid eye strain, do not look directly into the light. If the light therapy is administered too late in the day, you may experience increased light sensitivity, headache, and difficulty falling asleep

Vitamins Can Help

Taking a vitamin D supplement can also help. High dosages of 100,000 international units (IUs) of vitamin D were used in a 1999 study at the Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore that resulted in significant improvement in patients with SAD. Of course, that dosage is too high; however, more moderate dosages of 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D are effective. (Excessive dosages of vitamin D are deposited in fat tissue and may build up, resulting in excessive thirst and urination, and high blood pressure.) Natural sources of vitamin D are a good choice, such as cod liver oil.

Take the Happy Herb

Studies suggest that 900 milligrams of St. John’s wort daily is helpful in treating SAD, both on its own and in conjunction with light therapy. Sometimes it takes several weeks to feel the benefit of St. John’s wort. Take it in a divided dosage two or three times a day.

Diet is Also Important

The carbohydrate cravings associated with SAD are an indication of the body’s hunger for the amino acid tryptophan, which converts in the brain to serotonin to stimulate nerve cells. Sweet cravings are the body’s attempt to persuade you to eat carbohydrates that, in turn, increase insulin and increase tryptophan’s access to the brain. Supplementing with tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan has been found useful in the treatment of SAD. Begin at a dosage of 250 mg per day.

This winter watch for signs of anxiety and depression and treat yourself early. Go outside for an hour each morning, and get plenty of regular outdoor activity, such as skiing or tobogganing. You’ll be happy you brought the light back to your winter months.

Craig Hudson, MD, FRCP(c), is a psychiatrist with an interest in alternative health treatments for common mental health conditions. He is CEO and Director of Research at Biosential Inc.

Source: alive #269, March 2005

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