Autumn blues - symptoms and therapy

Depression in autumn

Do you know that? Outside it is cloudy, the days are getting shorter, you feel tired and the mood goes down. If it is more than a short-term low, then doctors speak of a "Seasonal Dependent Depression" (SAD). The most common occurs in the month of November.

contents

• Depression in autumn
• Autumn Depression - The most important facts
• Synonyms for autumn depression
• Cravings and tiredness
• Symptoms of autumn blues
• causes
• Lack of light leads to vitamin D deficiency
• Exercise and fresh air
• Enjoy the fall
• Eat and drink healthy

Autumn Depression - The most important facts

Herbstblues describes a "seasonally dependent depression".
Causes are above all:

• Lack of fresh air,
• and too little exercise.

So it's not necessarily the season.

An autumn blues, also called winter depression, is mainly due to the lack of light in the dark season.
This confuses our day-night rhythm and can lead to a deficiency of vitamin D. (Image: Ralf Geithe / fotolia.com)

Synonyms for autumn depression

Seasonal Depression, November Low, Light Deficient Depression, Winter Blues, Autumn Blues, November Blues, or Seasonal Dependent Disorder (SAD).

Cravings and tiredness

This type of depression differs in its symptoms from other depressive illnesses. Thus, those affected have no problems falling asleep or staying asleep, on the contrary: they feel sleepy throughout and have trouble staying awake. They also do not suffer from loss of appetite, but often get cravings as a result of altered hormone levels.

Symptoms of autumn blues

One in four complains of dark moods in the dark season, but only about five percent of people take forms that correspond to mild to moderate depression. Affected are especially women.

When these complaints go beyond a harmless "autumn blues", patients lose interest, feel empty, without hope and joy, without social-psychological reasons such as separation, loss, conflicts in the workplace or in the family, unemployment, overwork or the like , In addition, this lousy feelings that those affected can not get them to handle themselves. In addition, there is constant pondering, people are irritable, behave disproportionately aggressive and develop fears.

They are barely able to concentrate, forget many things and are inattentive to their social environment. Physically, such a November depression manifests itself through:

• a headache,
• difficulty breathing,
• Chest tightness and heartache,
• muscle tension,
• digestive problems
• and the "lump in the throat".

Even in the beautiful autumn depressive mood swings can occur. (Image: ArtushFoto / fotolia.com)

The sufferers are constantly tired and fall asleep, but the many sleep does not lead to the necessary recovery and regeneration. They always want to eat and have a craving for carbohydrates, especially sweets. They gain weight.

causes

Many sufferers know for themselves that their negative perception of the shortening days and of the Matschwetters plays a role. The slower metabolism compared to the summer also contributes to this. As a major factor, many mention the lack of light, but are not clear about why this is physically reflected. Lack of light can lead to vitamin D deficiency in the medium term, as we produce vitamin D primarily with the help of the sun's UV rays. If you suffer from depressive moods, weakness, lack of concentration, listlessness, constant fatigue and rapid fatigue for a longer period of time, or if you have a constant cold, you should seek medical attention for your vitamin D level.

Lack of light in the period from November to February is suspected to affect the brain metabolism. The pineal gland, which is located above the midbrain, responds to light-dark stimuli by releasing the hormone melatonin. This, on the one hand, restricts attention, and on the other, melatonin activates the release of other hormones, while the level of "happiness hormone" serotonin sinks.

There are also moments in the fall, where you can fill up on sunlight. (Image: Peter Maszlen / fotolia.com)

Lack of light leads to vitamin D deficiency

Although many people in Germany feel the "autumn blues", only a few people think about it, if mentally "everything feels gray" to have the vitamin D value checked by the family doctor. We absorb vitamin D mainly from the UV rays of the sunlight, and when we leave the house in the dark, sit in the office during the day and go home in the dark, we get far too little of it. Are you constantly tired, in a bad mood, and getting infected with viruses and bacteria in late autumn? Then there is a suspicion of a vitamin D deficiency. Undesirable are 35 to 60 nanograms per milliliter, of which you have too little of the vitamin; at a value of 20 nanograms or less, you are suffering from vitamin D deficiency.

Exercise and fresh air

An "autumn blues", as opposed to more serious illnesses, can be prevented in everyday life. Usually the weather and behavior play together when the bad mood develops: it is raining, it is getting dark early, and it is cold. That's why we move less and breathe less fresh air than in summer. But because we move less and breathe less fresh air, our mood worsens: we absorb less oxygen and do too little for stress.

The constant fatigue is a special agony in the workplace. (Image: Wellnhofer Designs / fotolia.com)

Lack of exercise is not a cause of stress, but exercise is the natural response to a stressful situation. Stress is a state of emergency in our brain chemistry and we need it when we encounter dangers. Hormones are in full swing, so we can do more than usual. Exercise and fresh air continue to stimulate physical functions and clarify the mind. Especially nature walks are a great way to get in the mood.

Enjoy the fall

Who moans, reinforces the bad mood. This is not just a truism. The existing low mood slows down the release of "feel-good hormones". You can counteract this by enjoying the good times of autumn: going to the sauna, reading a novel, cooking with friends, spending time with your loved one drinking tea. And: Autumn time is cuddling time. Hugging and caressing release biochemical and bioelectric processes. Martin Grunwald from the University of Leipzig. In this way, hormones form like neurotransmitters, which activate the brain and thus lead to a positive physical sensation.

Especially in autumn you can enjoy cooking together with friends. (Image: Rawpixel.com/fotolia.com)

Eat and drink healthy

A banal as well as often forgotten help against listlessness and mood swings is water. Dehydration leads to headaches, tiredness, fatigue and depressive moods. In addition to sufficient vitamin D, you should not forget other vitamins and minerals. In the autumn, it is mainly the local cabbage varieties that are on offer, especially sauerkraut is a vitamin C bomb. Kale, cauliflower and broccoli also provide high levels of vitamins and minerals. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)