September is here.  People often get excited for fall because pumpkin spice lattes, fresh apples pies, cozy sweaters and the ‘perfect temperature’.

For others, September symbolizes sadness. Mornings are met with dewy grass; it is cold and wet so no more dashing out the door in flip-flops, its extra effort to start the day. Beautiful and bountiful gardens begin to die and nothing can be done to stop it. The days are shorter, less daylight to do the things to do the outdoor things we love.

As August ends, the start of September is a seasonal goodbye wave to summer! Often met with the though ‘crap, I have to wait almost a year for summer to be here again’!

September can affect mood and cause depression, otherwise known as a seasonal affect disorder! Many people believe SAD occurs during winter months when it is most prominent among people. The main aspect of SAD is a seasonal pattern. Even though the beginning of September is considered summer time, it feels like a season change and with that, our brain can change! The main theory is lack of sunlight might negatively affects the hypothalamus in our brain from working properly. The hypothalamus is the control centre in the brain. Lack of sunlight during the shorter days and inclement weather negatively affects production of serotonin. Serotonin is a hormone that affects our mood, appetite, sleep and even bowel movements. Serotonin plays a key part in our mental and physical health!

If you have low serotonin, you might:

  • feel anxious or depressed
  • feel irritable or aggressive 
  • have sleep issues or feel fatigued
  • feel impulsive 
  • have a decreased appetite 
  • experience nausea and digestive troubles
  • crave sweets and carbohydrate-rich food [www.healthline.com]

It is always a good idea to consult your doctor when experiencing any health issues.

There are ways to naturally boost serotonin levels in the brain through high protein foods, exercise that gets your heart rate up, regular massages, supplements, light therapy and a good attitude. Therefore, as summer ends and some people are preparing to send their kids back to school to resume normalcy, people can also prepare to send serotonin levels back to normal. High protein foods, exercise and a good attitude are a great way to start [www.healthline.com].

Food

Tryptophan is an amino acid, which converts into serotonin in your brain. Tryptophan is found primarily in high-protein foods such as turkey, salmon, peanut butter, cheese and oatmeal.

Energy Balls Recipe

  • -2/3 cup peanut butter
  • -1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • -1 cup rolled oats
  • -1/2 cup flax seed or coconut
  • -2 tbsps honey or maple syrup
  • Mix all together in a bowl, refrigerate 1 hr, roll into bite size balls and enjoy! [www.chefsavvy.com]

Exercise

Exercising releases tryptophan into your blood, which is converted into serotonin in your brain. It does not matter what kind of exercise you do as long as you get your heart rate up. Always consult your physician before beginning any exercise programs if you have pre-existing health concerns.

  Age Target HR Zone 50-85% Average Maximum Heart Rate, 100%
20 years 100-170 beats per minute (bpm) 200 bpm
30 years 95-162 bpm 190 bpm
35 years 93-157 bpm 185 bpm
40 years 90-153 bpm 180 bpm
45 years 88-149 bpm 175 bpm
50 years 85-145 bpm 170 bpm
55 years 83-140 bpm 165 bpm
60 years 80-136 bpm 160 bpm
65 years 78-132 bpm 155 bpm
70 years 75-128 bpm 150 bpm

[www.heart.org]

Good Thoughts

The mind is a powerful tool. If a decrease in serotonin can negatively affect mood, then logically a good mood could increase serotonin levels…It has been said if you are sad and make yourself smile you will actually feel happier.  Think about things that make you feel good such as memories about flower gardens in your favourite colours, green grass tickling your toes, warm yellow sun on your face, gliding through crystal blue lake water can help increase serotonin in your brain, which can help promote an improved mood.

No matter what the season, most importantly have gratitude for the things that make you smile because “there shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart” [Celia Thaxter].

However, if you are living with Seasonal Affective Disorder it can be hard to think good thoughts when you are feeling overwhelmed with sadness. You may feel despair, which makes it seem pointless to find the energy to cook for yourself especially if you have no appetite. Getting out of bed may be difficult so exercising seems impossible.

Signs and Symptoms of S.A.D:

Sad despairing mood that is:

  • present most days and lasts most of the day
  • lasts for more than two weeks
  • impairs performance at work, at school or in social relationships.
  • other symptoms of depression include:
  • changes in appetite and weight
  • sleep problems
  • loss of interest in work, hobbies, people or sex
  • withdrawal from family members and friends
  • feeling useless, hopeless, excessively guilty, pessimistic or having low self esteem
  • agitation or feeling slowed down
  • irritability
  • fatigue
  • trouble concentrating, remembering and making decisions
  • crying easily or feeling like crying but not being able to
  • thoughts of suicide
  • a loss of touch with reality, hearing voices or having strange ideas [www.camh,ca]

If you would like help dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder, it is okay to ask for help.

To learn more about services offered by Connectico Counselling, please click here.

To contact Jennifer Whalen, Registered Psychotherapist at Connectico Counselling Services, please click here