Did you know that the weather could affect people’s moods? Most people will understand how sometimes the rain can bring your spirits down, and a warm sunny day can lift them right up again. But for some the effect of the weather can be much more severe.

S.A.D or Seasonal Affective Disorder affects around half a million people in Europe, with numbers rising annually. It is a mood disorder specifically relating to the winter months and some health experts believe this is down to the number of daylight hours being shorter than that of the summer.

Unfortunately sufferers often go undiagnosed for many years and it is not recognised until consecutive bouts of the illness over a period if several winters each with the same or similar symptoms. Recognising these symptoms may help sufferers seek treatment.

Symptoms of S.A.D can be a combination of factors these can include -

Disturbed sleep patterns – sleeping more than usual, finding it hard to wake up or waking early in the morning and being tired early evening.

Anxiety – feeling anxious and unable to cope well under pressure or tolerate stressful situations.

Lethargy – feeling tired and restless, often feeling unable to carry out daily activities.

Mood Changes – sudden lows or highs can occur for some sufferers.

Loss of Libido and Social Disinterest – Physical contact and intimacy can lose interest for sufferers, not wanting any closeness with friends or partner. This can also be seen reflecting in social behavioural changes i.e. not wanting to mix in social circles with friends, loss of interest in going out and interacting with others.

Eating habits – habits can change dramatically from the norm, either over or under eating can become a problem with sudden weight loss or gain.

Treating S.A.D varies for each Health Authority, the complexity of the symptoms and the severity of the disease. Many people ignore the symptoms and do not seek medical advice, whilst some sufferers chose to go for warmer climates during the winter months. Expensive travelling however is not an option for many sufferers and medical help is often needed.

Experts in Mood disorders have shown that one of the most effective ways in which to help relieve the symptoms of SAD is through light therapy, this usually comes in the shape of a box containing a very powerful and specialised light, patients can sit for up to 1-2 hours a day and let the light penetrate their eyes. These light systems can be bought for treatment for use in the home.

However some health authorities do not use light therapy as a treatment for the disease, and other treatments are recommended. Non-sedative anti-depressants can help control moods and help alleviate symptoms whilst for others counselling is a good option. Sufferers do not always require the same treatment and it is therefore always recommended to consult your doctor for a full diagnosis and prescribed the right medication.

If you have concerns or are a sufferer of S.A.D you may find some of the following links of interest.

OUTSIDE IN
http://www.outsidein.co.uk/sadinfo.htm

NOSAD

http://www.nosad.org/

National Mental health Association http://www.nmha.org/infoctr/factsheets/27.cfm

Cerianwen has been writing since before she can remember, she is an author, artist and critic with interests in mental health. As a Bipolar sufferer she leads a group dealing with mental health issues and is currently creating a zine for sufferers, friends, family and those who wish to know more about mental illness and its affects on day to day living.
Cerianwen is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/
which is a site for Writers.

Your health is undoubtedly your most valuable asset. So with that in mind how do you protect your health?

Yes you probably have health insurance to look after your health if you become ill and car insurance to take car of you should your health suffer as a result of a car accident. But isn’t that paying someone else to look after your health after things go wrong? A bit like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted? What are you doing, or, what should you be doing to look after your health right now?

Do you get regular health check ups? Do you exercise & eat all the right foods that are beneficial to your health? Do you use health care products such as health supplements? Do you smoke, drink or take drugs? Are you aware of how these habits affect your health?

I’m willing to bet that you make darn sure you look after your children’s health, making sure that they are not doing anything that is going to cause long term damage to their health? But who is watching your health? Who’s making sure you are not doing anything to damage your health?

Health is probably something we all take for granted & only realise how important our health is when we are ill or someone close to us is suffering from ill health. However if we all do nothing in regard to our health now, waiting until we begin to suffer from ill health & then trying to do something about it may be too late as we may have already done irreparable damage to our health. If you could do something now to prevent one of your assets diminishing, such as your bank balance, your home or your car would you? Yes of course you would, so what about your most valuable asset, your health?

Well it’s about time that someone took control of your health, and that someone is you! Take control of your health now and make sure that valuable asset, your health, is well and truly looked after. Here are some suggestions that might help you to look after your health:

Get regular health check ups. If you have a good health insurance these are probably insisted upon. After all we all give our cars regular “health” checks, isn’t our health more important than the health of our vehicles?

Make sure you eat a healthy diet. Even if you don’t need to loose weight the right diet can help to improve your health.

Take regular exercise. 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week, even if it’s just a couple of 15 minute strolls, that’s not to great a chore to protect a valuable asset – your health.

If you smoke, stop now! This is probably the best thing you can and ever will do for the sake of your health.

Cut down on your alcohol intake. Stick to the recommended guidelines for sensible drinking – for your health’s sake.

John Mac is author & owner of http://www.fitnessdiethealth.com a website aimed at providing help & information for people looking to improve their health

“Brain researchers estimate that your unconscious database outweighs the conscious on an order exceeding ten million to one. This database is the source of your hidden, natural genius. In other words, a part of you is much smarter than you are. The wise people regularly consult that smarter part.”

Michael J. Gelb (b. 1952) Writer, author

If your goals have a wellbeing aspect to them, is it time for you to take responsibility for your future health? What can you do to move you a step further towards a healthier, fitter future?

You’ve read the reports; you’ve seen the programmes and filed the information in your mental ‘To Do’ File. So do it! It might involve taking some omega-3 supplements (obtainable from either fish oil or vegetarian supplements), it could be that you need to up your water intake, it might be getting the old bike out of the garage but you haven’t quite got round to it yet. No more putting it off! The time and effort you invest in yourself from now on will more than provide you with a generous future dividend – good health.

What better thing can you do for yourself than take care of your health?

If you haven’t already started to add a little more activity to each day then now is the time to start. If you have started, can you up the ante and push yourself a little bit more? You’ll reap the benefits if you do.

I can go on and on about this (and probably will!), but essentially it is down to you.

I’ve read that the best kind of meal is the naturally colorful ones (no artificial colorings in sight!). How creative can you get with your meals? Lovely crisp red, yellow, orange and green peppers, gorgeously crinkled Savoy cabbage, beautiful beetroot, crunchy carrots in all their golden splendour! Oooh, it makes my mouth water just to write this!

What can you do to help you increase your sense of wellbeing that involves no, or very little, cost? What do you like doing that would give you pleasure to do more of? Have you a book waiting to be read? How about going for a blustery autumnal walk? Go on! You can do it! Get those brain cells boosted!

Kate Harper is based in the beautiful Highlands of Scotland. Check out her website http://www.harpercoaching.com

She works with people who are fed up with moaning about their lives and have decided to do something about it. If that is you, please take a look at Kate’s website. Her special interest is in promoting Wellbeing through coaching. She is happy to work with people from any part of the world.

“The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult.” Madame Marie du Deffand

Take your first step today and contact Kate.