Expert’s advice on fighting off seasonal depression from rainy Seattle weather

As weather in the Puget Sound region keeps conditions dark and rainy, one expert at UW Medicine has some advice to help fight off the gloom.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a regular seasonal occurrence for many who live in Western Washington, brought on by a combination of shorter days, rainy weather, and a downtick in sunshine.

“During the winter months, people typically spend more time indoors and it can feel a bit like you are hibernating,” University of Washington psychiatry professor Dr. Heidi Combs said in a recent press release.

That can lead to a range of SAD symptoms, including “low mood, reduced interest, fatigue, and reduced concentration,” as well as overeating and oversleeping.

Dr. Combs recommends that those experiencing SAD combat it with a relatively common sense solution: light.

That light could come in the form of an artificial light box, which emits a full spectrum of light designed to mimic the sun, ideally giving off 10,000 lumens at minimum. Quite a few brands advertise light boxes, and Dr. Combs recommends avoiding any that do not list their lumen levels.

Typically, anywhere between 30-45 minutes each morning basking in the glow of a light box can be enough to fight off the winter blues, she notes. That could take place over just a few weeks, or in more extreme cases, for the entire winter.

Beyond that, she says regular exercise can also help, as something that’s “really healthy for mental health.”

Follow @http://twitter.com/Mynorthwest