Lighten the winter blues

The official start of winter on December 22 will be overshadowed by events a few days later but after the holidays, this date takes on extra resonance for the six million people in the UK affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

SAD is a form of winter depression caused by a biochemical imbalance in the hypothalamus ñ the part of the brain that controls our body temperature, hunger and thirst responses. Believed to be brought on by the long winter nights and the lack of sunlight in the winter, SAD can be a seriously debilitating condition and one employers need to be more aware of, as Tania Pierce-Jones, clinical relationship manager at leading provider of health and wellbeing solutions, FirstAssist explains.

ìSAD is one of those conditions that isnít always fully understood and is often underplayed as a case of the winter blues, which does a disservice to the millions of people affected by it. An employee even with mild SAD can find it difficult to concentrate or make decisions easily. As a result, performance, punctuality, and absenteeism are all affected.î

It affects up to 10% of the population, most suffering from its milder form, Subsyndromal SAD which can lead to sleep and eating problems, but around one million people suffer its full range of disabling symptoms such as depression, lethargy, insomnia, anxiety, reduced appetite, loss of libido and a weakened immune system.

ìMedical treatment is essential in these cases. For most sufferers, symptoms get worse in the late autumn but after Christmas, these can be extenuated,î admits Pierce-Jones. ìIt can be a particular problem in the workplace as so many of us work in artificial light and commute to and from work in the dark.î

The key appears to be light as studies have shown the further north you go, where the days are shorter, SAD becomes more prevalent. Its exact cause is unknown but what is understood is that light therapy can be very effective in treating the illness.

UK employers have included access to light therapy as part of their occupational health policy and can offer counselling and support through an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

ìProviding emotional support to a work force is not only ethically sound, but is good business sense,î explains Pierce-Jones. ìAn EAP is an excellent defence against conditions such as SAD and can ensure the employee get the right kind of treatment quickly and in most cases cheaplyî.

One such treatment is exposure to light by means of a light box, which improves symptoms in about two out of every three cases. Regular physical activity such as a lunchtime walk can also be very effective.

îThese simple treatments can be done by employee in their own home or office making it a much more simpler solution than the only permanent cure -moving to within 30 degrees of the Equator where daylight hours are constant and brighter!î