Seasonal Affective Disorder, or as its commonly shortened to SAD or suffering from winter blues is officially recognised by doctors and psychiatrists as a medical condition. Its believed to affect at least 2 million people throughout the UK and Ireland and over 12 million people throughout Northern Europe.
Why do people suffer with SAD in the UK and Ireland?
Historically we are used to working outdoors 200 years ago 75% of the population worked outside in natural lighting. With work such as farming. But now due to industrial revolutions and mechanising less than 10% of the population now work in natural light outside. While its not such an issue in summer months due to longer daylight hours in the winter months people tend to go to work in the dark and arrive home in the dark. Which lacks the natural sun rays that affect our moods.
The modern way of life has dramatically altered nature's cues. As previously the day started at dawn as the sun came up and stopped at sunset. Workdays are getting longer and shift schedules also affect the natural harmony of the human body. Also the addition of modern electrical lighting has allowed social gatherings which happen well into the night and into the morning of the next day where before in history that never happened. All affecting the natural body clock and this work and life change has resulted in light deficiency symptoms
In the UK and Ireland we are more susceptible to SAD as we are situated in the higher latitudes of the northern hemisphere. As a result, we experience large changes in light levels between the summer and winter. We also experience periods of dark, gloomy weather which can reduce the amount of light we receive and therefore have a profound effect on our body clocks. Adding to this problem is also the fact we work longer hours than many of our European neighbours which all have severe affects on our lifestyle and health.
This combination of changes which are the hectic lifestyle, seasonal light changes and that with current weather conditions being unpredictable has resulted in darker days and poorer weather. All can dramatically affect your circadian rhythms. All these factors have caused an increase in risk of suffering from Seasonal Affect Disorder and as such more and more people are having to deal with SAD on a daily basis.
A combination of a change in seasonal light, our hectic lifestyles and the periods of darker days and poorer weather, can result in dramatic effects on our circadian rhythms. As a direct consequence of these environmental and lifestyle factors more people than ever before are suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder.
