Season of S.A.D. Fighting those winter blues

Since the days have become shorter and colder, humans’ natural urge, just like other animals, is to hibernate until spring. Although most people are able to overcome this impulse and continue with their daily routine through the winter months, over one million Canadians suffer severe symptoms of S.A.D. that impact their jobs and their relationships.

What is S.A.D.? It literally means sad, as in being in the state of sadness. The acronym stands for “Seasonal Affective Disorder” and it is a type of depression that follows the seasons. The most common type of S.A.D. is called winter depression. It usually begins in late fall or early winter and goes away by summer. Individuals affected by S.A.D. experience a significant change in their behaviours and moods between the months of September and November and lifts closer to springtime in March and April.

As outlined by the Labourers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America, common symptoms of S.A.D. are generally depressed mood accompanied by one of the following: change in appetite, especially craving for carbohydrates (sweets and starches); weight gain; heavy feeling in the arms or legs; drop in energy level; fatigue; tendency to oversleep; difficulty concentrating; irritability; reduced work productivity; lack of concentration; and withdrawal from social contacts.

About 80 per cent of sufferers are women between the ages of 20 and 40. According to Estelle Morrison, Director of LifeWorks Strategic Solutions at Ceridian Canada, an Employee Assistance Program provider, the shorter the days and the less the light, the worse the symptoms are.

Based on an article published by the Canadian HR Reporter, Louise Hartley, Vice President, Clinical Services with Family Services EAP explains that the exact causes of S.A.D. remain unclear. However, it appears that this condition is related to how our bodies cope with decreasing amount of daylight in the fall and winter seasons. It is likely believed that S.A.D. is inherited, so a sufferer has a genetic vulnerability. The symptoms begin to show in people with this genetic makeup when they experience a lack of light.

Apart from the amount of light, it appears that stress can be another major trigger for the disorder. Many sufferers have found that S.A.D. first developed after a stressful life event such as a divorce, being fired, bereavement or even a birth in the winter months.

In the workplace, if an employee exhibits symptoms of S.A.D., the quality of his or her work is affected. Oversleeping is one of the major symptoms of the disorder. Hence, an affected individual might fall asleep on the job or frequently come to work late because of sleeping in. For companies with shift-work, an individual’s sleep disturbances can be aggravated.

If an employee suspects he or she might be suffering from S.A.D., especially when poor work performance is involved, the employee should be prepared for the manager or HR professional to suspect that they’re suffering from S.A.D. There is nothing wrong or unethical about being approached, because as managers it’s just right for them to express concern.

The good news is that there is treatment for S.A.D. If symptoms are severe enough to significantly affect a person’s daily living, “phototherapy” or light therapy can be used to help overcome this seasonal depression. In university I learned that our eyes send images to the brain and tell our pineal gland (a pea-sized gland), when the day is over. This gland induces drowsiness by secreting melatonin, and therefore influences moods, hunger and metabolism. Therefore, the less light our eyes absorb, the greater the chances of getting affected by S.A.D. That’s why S.A.D. affected individuals are often described as “light hungry” and instinctively light their homes well or seek out sunny places, and cheer up when there is a period of sunny weather.

Don’t let the winter blues bring you down, fight it by increasing your knowledge about S.A.D. and get the appropriate help you need. If an employee goes to a manager about his or her symptoms, the manager or HR professional will most likely refer the employee to the company’s EAP service provider. If the company has limited resources, there are support services offered through the Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba, and the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Note: This article is for information purposes only.

Michele Majul-Ibarra is a Compliance Officer with Canada Post Corporation, specializing in Human Rights and Conflict Management. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Certificate in Human Resource Management. She also has a professional designation, C.I.M. (Certified in Management) awarded by the Canadian Institute of Management through the University of Manitoba.

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