Why are we sadder in autumn?
Gone are the sunny days and further behind the fragrances of spring flowers. We can no longer remember the holidays and the sea seems distant and inaccessible to us. And it is that autumn arrives, the days are shorter, and the light fades quickly, as quickly as our desire to do things. We are running out of hope.
Autumnal depression is due to the influence that the weather experts on our state of mind. Of course there are some people who are more sensitive than others to this influence, but who more and who less notice the ravages of autumn in their spirits. We help you fight autumn depression.
Causes of autumn depression
- Autumn depression presents the same symptoms as any other type of depression, that is, discouragement, sadness, tiredness, sleep disturbances, etc. And although it is a temporary emotional disorder, we must treat this autumn depression as soon as we notice the first symptoms so that it does not lead to chronic depression.
- The causes of autumn depression are found in our body’s reaction to the change of season. The lack of light is one of the fundamental factors that induce discouragement and we have already seen how phototherapy or light therapy is one of the most effective for improving mood. But the fall blues are also related to levels of those difficult-named but increasingly familiar substances like serotonin, dopamine, and melatonin.
- Broadly speaking, the process that causes autumn depression is as follows: melatonin levels increase, which leads to increased fatigue or that lack of desire to do anything that we all know. The increase in melatonin also affects another substance, serotonin, whose levels are unbalanced and are reduced. This is what causes discouragement and sleep disturbances. In addition, the lack of light has a direct impact on dopamine levels, whose shortage is responsible for sadness and lack of concentration.
Fight the autumn blues
- As we always recommend in the cases of emotional disorders, we should not minimize their importance and let time pass, in this case, that spring arrives. It is advisable to go to the doctor and determine the degree of depression and the risk that it will become a significant problem in the long term. But in addition to the medical treatment indicated by the specialist, there are some remedies that we can apply ourselves.
- Autumn depression is combated with large doses of optimism and activity. Physical exercise is essential to keep us active and that autumn does not put us on the sofa without the desire or strength to do anything. We can reinforce our autumn diet with all those foods that improve our mood and give us strength, such as foods with vitamins C and B, foods with calcium and magnesium, without forgetting chocolate.
- In addition, phototherapy is one of the most popular remedies in this type of temporary mood disorders. Plants help us to improve our quality of life without side effects and in the case of autumn depression, the best ally is, without a doubt, St. John’s Worth.