With winter’s approach comes shorter days, more time indoors and sometimes even seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression.
Studies have shown that four to six percent of all Americans experience SAD when days grow colder and shorter. If you are concerned your parent may be prone to SAD, here are some tips to help you identify the symptoms and find ways to help him or her overcome the wintertime blues.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression that comes with the change of seasons. SAD is most common during the winter months when we begin to experience less sunlight and struggle to get exposure to the outdoors.
In Maine, which receives about nine hours of sunlight each winter day, the disorder may be more common than in sunnier states.
Note that true SAD is different from the so-called “winter blues,” which may come in the form of a post-holiday letdown or feeling of lethargy.
Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder can include:
- Feeling depressed
- Losing interest in activities
- Having low energy
- Having problems sleeping
- Experiencing changes in appetite or weight
- Difficulty concentrating
If you are noticing your parent losing interest in all activities he or she once enjoyed, not sleeping and a loss of appetite, consult with a doctor or another professional.
Six Tips for Beating the Winter Blues
For some, SAD begins in the fall months and lasts through the winter. Since it's a form of depression, don’t be afraid to talk to your parent’s doctor or another professional for guidance.
If your parent is experiencing many of the SAD symptoms, has medical conditions, and needs care assistance, this may be a time to talk with a long term care provider on what care options exist for your parent.
For many, SAD can be managed with the right form of treatment. Help your loved one with seasonal affective disorder by using these tips:
1. Social Interaction
Find opportunities where your parent can interact and bond with others, which can immediately increase happiness. Encourage them to take part in phone calls and video chatting with family members.
2. Activities
Encourage your parent to continue the activities they enjoy during the other seasons such as reading and listening to music. This will give them something to look forward to each day or week.
3. Vitamin D
Consuming Vitamin D supplements may improve your parent’s cognitive health when dealing with seasonal depression. Many adults don’t get the necessary amount of exposure to the sunlight to absorb Vitamin D; therefore, taking a supplement will likely help their overall health.
Be sure to check with your parent’s physician before advising them to take any supplement.
4. Exercise
Encourage your parent to stay active. An appropriate exercise program three to four times a week can reverse mild depression while improving physical health as well.
5. Lighten Up
During the dark gloom of the winter, you may want to invest in a light box for your parent. This light can serve as a form of therapy by creating an environment that improves mood. Those specifically for SAD provide illumination that resembles natural light.
6. Create Coziness
Help your parent feel more connected to friends and family through pictures, videos and cards. Host a card shower where various people send them greeting cards.
Most importantly, focus any visit with your parent on being about quality time that brings out the joy in both of you.
About Maine Veterans’ Homes
At Maine Veterans’ Homes, our staff members continuously plan events and activities that encourage residents to stay active indoors when they can’t get outside, and promote an overall sense of belonging. Staying active and engaged can help residents in long term care reduce the effects of SAD.
Our long term care is different because we not only welcome Veterans, but were established specifically to care for Veterans and eligible family members.
Learn more about the services we provide, and see if your loved one is eligible to live here, by downloading our free Eligibility Guide >>>
