Acupuncture for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Have you ever felt depressed in the autumn and winter months? Does the cold weather and darkness make you feel fatigued? You might be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

The excellent news is acupuncture can help alleviate these symptoms. If you want to know more about this condition and how to get the help you need, keep reading!

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Oftentimes, feelings of depression and energy loss usually characterize Seasonal Affective Disorder. Most who suffer from this condition say the symptoms surface during autumn and linger through winter. SAD can be a debilitating condition that prevents people from engaging in social activities and disrupts work performance.

Seasonal Affective Disorder is sometimes referred to as seasonal depression. Mostly, this is because it's not a persistent depressive condition that persists through all seasons. Instead, it usually occurs in the fall or winter. In fact, most experts believe this disorder is primarily caused by less sunlight exposure.

Sunlight is essential for producing vitamin D, an important nutrient for the functioning of the human body. But, experts are still studying how it's linked to depression. However, some speculate that SAD occurs for several reasons, including the following:

• Lack of sunlight
• Messed up circadian rhythm
• Less melatonin production

So, when we don't get adequate sunlight, which is common in winter months, it impacts our body's natural cycles.  As a result, it prevents our body from producing sleep hormones such as melatonin which can disrupt our hormonal balance.

Moreover, many mainstream treatment approaches include antidepressants, but many don't like this unnatural treatment. Fortunately, acupuncture has been used for centuries to treat mood disorders. We will explore this below.

Acupuncture for Seasonal Affective Disorder

When it comes to seasonal affective disorder, acupuncture can be an effective and natural treatment. For many years, acupuncture has helped elevate mood and improve energy levels, which counteracts the symptoms of SAD. In addition, acupuncture helps promote overall wellness and health, which benefits those suffering from hormonal disorders.

While the exact cause of SAD is unknown, the treatments are numerous. For example, acupuncture can effectively treat most SAD symptoms since it increases mood and energy. In fact, this is because acupuncture opens your body's natural systems and increases blood flow.

One of the main symptoms of SAD is a decrease in energy and interest. Yet, acupuncture can effectively treat these symptoms by increasing natural hormone production. You see, acupuncture has been shown to treat feelings of fatigue by encouraging the production of carnitine, an essential part of the body's cell production of energy and stamina. In other words, this can help treat symptoms of fatigue, loss of interest, and sexual dysfunction caused by SAD.

However, acupuncture can also improve feelings of sadness and hormonal imbalance. Many studies have demonstrated how acupuncture can elevate moods. This is achieved by enhancing melatonin production, which aids in proper sleep and balanced hormone levels.

Treating the Symptoms

Ultimately, there are no known cures for seasonal affective disorder. At the same time, acupuncture can help to alleviate the symptoms and improve overall well-being. Even though you might continue experiencing these symptoms every winter, acupuncture can alleviate them and even prevent them.

In any case, treating the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder is the best way to address this condition. Occasionally, feelings of depression may return. Nonetheless, proper care and consistent treatment can alleviate the symptoms. In general, many who receive acupuncture feel better and less impacted by the condition, making acupuncture an adequate care method for treating SAD.

Get the Best Care for Your Seasonal Affective Disorder

Winter is a beautiful season for many people. It's a season with several major holidays and making snow people and snow angels! But, the lack of sunlight and somewhat gloomy landscape can impact our mental health.

Fast Relief Acupuncture has several of the best acupuncture treatments performed by skilled practitioners. If you're done feeling gloomy, tired, and sad, contact us today!