5 minute read
How SAD can affect young people
How seasonal affective disorder can affect young people
By Marilena Andreou - cognitive behavioural psychotherapist
Does your child hate the shorter darker days during the winter months? Do they crave and eat more carbohydrates during the winter? Has their mood worsened in the winter?
What is sad?
‘Seasonal affective disorder’ (SAD) can also be described as a type of ‘winter depression’ because the symptoms tend to become more prominent during the winter months. Then, when the seasons change again, the depression subsides until the following year. SAD can affect both adults and children, the symptoms can present a little differently in children. Unfortunately sometimes children can be portrayed as lazy or disruptive by teachers, when in fact this could be part of their overall presentation of SAD. Both teachers and parents need to be very careful when labelling children in this way as this is a misconception. It would be more helpful to increase one’s understanding and awareness of SAD in order to help the young person improve how they feel. There are several factors that have been shown to play a significant role in the development of SAD including; circadian rhythm, serotonin levels and melatonin levels.
Circadian rhythm
This theory suggests that the decreased amount of sunlight in the autumn and winter could cause SAD as it disrupts the body’s internal clock. In children and young people, this may show through oversleeping when this was not an issue in the spring and summer months.
Serotonin levels
Evidence suggests that reduced sunlight can also cause a drop in serotonin levels in the brain and reduced serotonin can cause depression.
Melatonin levels
Reduced sunlight in the autumn and winter interferes with the balance of melatonin in the body, which causes feelings of fatigue.
SAD symptoms to look out for in children and young people
• Persistent low mood. • Loss of pleasure in usual day-to-day activities – at school this could include not wanting to complete work or homework tasks. • A general lack of energy and feeling lethargic. • Sleeping more than usual. • Irritability. • Craving carbohydrates (for example sugary snacks and simple carbohydrates) and gaining weight.
What parents and guardians can do to help improve symptoms of SAD
• Speak to the child and help them to understand, providing more simple
explanations. Remember to be patient with them. • Encourage the child to get more light exposure and exercise by spending more time outdoors, for example by going for daily walks together. • Light therapy (phototherapy)- a light box can be placed on a desk and the person sits in front of it for around 45 minutes a day. Symptoms may improve within a few days or weeks. • Establish a good sleep routine. • Help with homework – the child may temporarily need some additional support. Concentration levels may be low at the moment, so helping the child to understand this is key. • Encourage the child to eat a balanced diet, including whole grains, fruits and vegetables (avoid overloading on simple carbohydrates and sugary snacks). • Medicine – you could talk to a GP about anti-depressants, which can help balance the serotonin levels and other neurotransmitters. • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be an effective treatment for SAD.
In conclusion, SAD in young people can lead to a lack of concentration, feeling lethargic and a general reduced mood. However, fortunately there are things that parents/ guardians and teachers can do to help to improve the symptoms.
Let’s chat Breakfast!
Breakfast, the most important meal of the day? There’s a lot of legend surrounding breakfast. In this article, we cut to the facts of do’s and don’ts with registered nutritional therapist Sophie Trotman.
Do’s
Avoid placing limits on breakfast
In the West, there is a rhetoric that there are only certain things you can eat for breakfast. How do you feel about curry for breakfast? Or fish and vegetables? The concept of ‘breakfast foods’ was invented in the 1940s by savvy marketers in order to sell cereal. An ideal breakfast is a balanced plate of protein, carbohydrates, fat, fibre and micronutrients (vitamins/minerals). This could be anything.
Include a source of protein
It is key to spread our protein intake throughout the day to maximise protein uptake. This also helps to balance our blood sugar and increase the satiety of breakfast, hopefully leading to less midmorning snacking. Add a scoop of highquality protein powder, nuts, almond butter, ground flaxseed or full fat Greek yoghurt to oats. Add eggs or nut butter to toast.
Steer clear of juice
Most juice is made of fruit. However, as it’s been pulverised and the fibre removed, the sugar is ‘free’ and therefore the same as added sugar. When you eat a piece of fruit, it contains fibre which slows down the release of sugar into the bloodstream. And there are many fruit juices on the market that contain added sugar, flavourings and preservatives... and don’t get dentists started on fruit juice.
Be mindful of sugar intake
Most breakfast cereals and breakfast bars are laden with sugar. Jams are also full of sugar. We all know why we should be avoiding sugar, but it’s particularly important to keep sugar intake low at breakfast. This is because what we eat first has a greater impact on our blood sugar.
Don’t
Eat the same breakfast every day
We know that a varied diet is key for hitting nutrient targets and optimising gut health, yet in the clinic I often see clients eating the same thing for breakfast every day. Get creative and mix it up!
Eat breakfast infront of a screen
It is very tempting to eat your breakfast by your laptop, responding to some emails in between mouthfuls. However, we should avoid this as it inhibits the cephalic phase of digestion, where we look at, smell and acknowledge our food and digestive enzymes are secreted. Take some time away from screens and engage with mindful eating to improve digestion.
Drink poor quality plant milks
The past ten years have seen a boom in plant milks of all sorts. Almond, oat, hazelnut… even pistachio! While it is fantastic to have so many options, we should avoid products containing flavouring, gums and sunflower lecithin as they can be damaging for gut health and more.
Drink coffee while eating breakfast
Coffee inhibits the absorption of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and B Vitamins. Have your morning coffee at least 45 minutes after breakfast if possible.
