Living in one of the coldest cities on earth, Seasonal Affective Disorder haunts me for many months out of the year. I used to dread the cold, grey, short days and long, dark nights of winter (and let’s face it: in Canada, we dread most of so-called fall and spring, too). It’s not just residents of the Great White North who fall prey to SAD: according to the National Institutes of Health, 14% of people in the United States experience SAD (it’s 15% for us Canadians). But since I started running, I’ve definitely noticed a change for the better in my emotional health during the winters when I’ve been able to get outside and run, versus the winters when injuries have kept me from my regular jaunts through the snow.
SAD: More Than Just “The Winter Blues” Thought to be caused by lack of sunlight, activity, and disrupted circadian rhythms, SAD can also have a genetic predisposition, and hormonal changes can exacerbate the condition. One theory is that when some people don’t get enough sunlight, their brains produce less serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps to stabilize mood, and instead overproduces melatonin, the hormone that causes sleepiness. Low Vitamin D levels have also been associated with depression, so the lack of Vitamin D produced by our bodies during the winter is a likely contributor to this disorder. Women are four times more likely than men to suffer from SAD (lucky us). The symptoms of SAD are similar to those of major depressive disorder, however SAD usually begins in late fall and worsens throughout the winter months, peaking in January, and people with SAD usually feel fine during the summer months. Symptoms of SAD
How Running Helps SAD Regular aerobic exercise increases dopamine and serotonin levels, which reduce pain and increase feelings of well-being. Exercising outside in daylight (even on cloudy days), such as walking for 30 minutes, five to six times per week, has been shown to decrease feelings of depression. Runners are likely to derive the same benefits within a shorter amount of time spent exercising, due to the increased exertion. But treadmill running at the gym just isn’t the same: a study published in Environmental Science and Technology found that people who exercised outside had more energy, less depression, and were more likely to stick with their workouts than indoor exercisers. My own winter running started out of a desire for year-round physical fitness, but I’ve discovered that it’s even more important for my mental health. It’s been years now since I’ve been plagued by the depression and apathy of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Though I still hate cold and grey days, I haven’t felt a true case of the winter blues like I used to since I started keeping up my running routine 52 weeks a year. It’s not easy to start running when you’re depressed, and it’s even less so when the temperatures outside are anything but delightful, but it’s so worth it. For more tips on cold weather running and running motivation, read these blog posts: Acclimatization So Winter Running Doesn’t Suck, The 3 W’s: Layers for Winter Runs, and Top 10 Reasons to Love Winter Running.
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7/1/2023 02:01:37 pm
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AuthorKathy Istace runs and races in one of the coldest cities on earth. Archives
December 2020
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