It is a known fact that depression is more common in the winter than it is in any other season.  You might think that it has something to do with the colder weather.  Studies have shown that winter depression is primarily caused by decreased exposure to natural light.

Winter depression, known by the medical community as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is quite common.  Statistics show that as many as 6% of people in the United States have SAD.  Another 10 to 20% suffer from winter blues, a milder form of SAD.  More women than men get SAD, and young adults are more prone to it than children or older adults.

What Are the Symptoms of SAD?

The symptoms of SAD are similar to those of regular depression.  Sufferers may experience weight gain, decreased energy and fatigue.  They may have difficulty concentrating, irritability and an aversion to social situations.

The main difference between SAD and depression is that SAD only affects its sufferers in the winter.  The shorter days and longer nights give people less exposure to light and it triggers depression in those with SAD.  In the spring, when there are more daylight hours and the sun starts coming up earlier, symptoms subside.

Those affected by SAD often have higher sensitivity to light than others.  They could experience symptoms all year if they work in buildings with no windows.  Depression could even be triggered in them by long periods of cloudy weather.  Winter is the main reason for decreased daylight and therefore the main trigger for Seasonal Affective Disorder.

How Is SAD Treated?

Mood stabilizers and antidepressants are sometimes used to treat SAD.  The treatment that appears to be the most promising does not involve drugs.  It is called light therapy.

In light therapy, a light box or other device that emits a bright light is used.  Patients sit in front of the light source for a specified period of time, which varies according to the intensity of the light.  This is ideally done in the morning.  Studies have shown that it may be beneficial if used at any time of day, but use in the evenings could cause insomnia.

The key to success with light therapy is sticking with it.  It takes time and it may be a few weeks before a patient sees results.  When used consistently it can be very beneficial. 

For some people depression is a problem all year.  For others it comes in the winter and leaves in the spring.  SAD is a serious problem.  The good news is that treatment without drugs is available and in many cases it is effective.  If you have the symptoms of SAD talk to your doctor about your options.  You don’t have to suffer until spring.

After having been exposed to a blistering summer, there is no doubt there are those who are looking forward to the autumn and winter months.  In addition, if you have been on a diet regimen throughout the summer, you will want to maintain your exercise program especially during this time of year.  Here are 5 exercises which are perfect for autumn.

Walking.  A 20-minute walk, three times a week can do wonders for physical and emotional well-being.  Besides, now that the leaves are turning, communing with nature at its best will make the effort an afterthought.

Hiking.  Perhaps it is a family tradition to make a ritual of hiking every weekend.  What a perfect time to travel to different places within the state or outside the state and witness the autumnal changes.  Moreover, the exercise received while hiking is even better since more exertion is required.

Biking.  If you love biking going to the local park or biking through an historic area is a wonderful way to exercise.  More than that, you are educating your kids at the same time as you come across new and exciting places to explore.

Yoga is a wonderful exercise for autumn.  Take the family to the local park amid the changing leaves and the brisk clean air.  Develop a routine to stretch and bring the body to a calm and serene state.  In addition, Qi Gong is another form of Yoga which is fast being the popular method of attaining the same results.

Another perfect exercise for autumn involves a few items:  A football, baseball, Frisbee or soccer ball.  Take the family to the park every Saturday and enjoy a day filled with fun exercises involving all of the aforementioned items.  Spare an hour after school, this would be a perfect time to take the kids out to park and let them breathe in the fresh air.  At the same time keeping them fit after a long day of sitting indoor at school.

No matter what exercise you engage in remember to dress warm and stretch before each exercise.

Do you wake up a lot in the middle of the night?  Do you feel tired and dragging during the day even though you’ve had a full night’s sleep?  Do you snore so bad you keep your bedmate or even your housemates up at night?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a serious condition called sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is simply a disorder that causes you to stop breathing in the middle of the night, sometimes for up to a minute.  Eventually, you wake up, begin breathing again, and go back to sleep; often you don’t even remember waking up at all. 

So if you just wake up all night long, why is sleep apnea so dangerous?  The most obvious reason is that sometimes people don’t wake up.  If you are in a very deep sleep, your body may not realize what’s going on and you’ll suffocate to death.  This occurrence is similar to SIDs in babies. 

The other danger of apnea is sleep deprivation.  Humans experience various stages of sleep; each stage rebuilds and rests a different part of the brain or body.  If you don’t get appropriate amounts of each stage of sleep, it can cause serious problems.  Constant waking up during the night, even if you don’t remember it, can reset your sleep cycle.  This means you get less of the later stages of sleep, so you’ll be sleep deprived even if you’re getting a full 8 hours of sleep each night (and that’s a big if).  Sleep deprivation, along with physical impairments, can decrease your speech functioning, reasoning skills, and other brain functions.  This increases your likelihood for having car accidents and other accidents which could be dangerous.

While you may be able to determine if you have sleep apnea through your partner monitoring your breathing, or by using a tape recorder, the best way to know is to pay a visit to your doctor.  If they think your fears are warranted, they will recommend you participate in a sleep study.  You will be required to sleep at the study site for a night.  There they will attach you to various types of equipment, and monitor your sleep and breathing patterns.  Most people find sleep studies annoying and uncomfortable, but they are an important part of proper diagnosis.  Symptoms of sleep apnea can be mimicked by other disorders, like restless legs syndrome.  Getting diagnosed properly means you get the right treatment that will at least make you feel better and at most save your life.

Once properly diagnosed, your doctor will recommend treatment depending on the type and severity of your condition.  Mild apnea can often be treated by modifying your diet and sleeping habits.  You may also be required to sleep with equipment like a specialized pillow or a device for your mouth.  In more severe cases, you may require medicine or even surgery.  Your doctor may also recommend you try more than one of these treatments to get the best results.

 All this information about sleep apnea is probably making you a little worried, but you shouldn’t panic.  Most cases of apnea are easily and effectively treated.  Once your apnea is under control you’ll likely feel more energized, have improved mental capabilities, get sick less, and even lose weight.  With proper treatment, you too can enjoy the benefits of a good night’s sleep.

Most of us know when we are stressed.  Our bodies begin to exhibit symptoms that are stress-related.  How do you know when something is wrong? 

Your body is a wonderful machine that instantly alerts you if there is a problem.  Ignoring it or attributing it to something else can be a mistake.  If you ever find yourself in a stressful situation, walk away.  Clear your mind.  Take a walk around the block or play some music at home or in your car.  Driving under stress has been the cause of many accidents due to road rage.

Your body is telling you that if you don’t slow down you will exact the same toll as if you were in a car accident.  Your body will pay the price either through elevated blood pressure leading to a stroke or cardiovascular problems causing heart attacks.

Here are some examples of what happens when we are overstressed.

* Irritability
* Tension headaches
* Heart palpitations
* Inability to focus on the task at hand
* Rise in blood pressure, which may cause sudden outbursts of anger
* Inability to sleep
* Sudden pension for food
* Lethargy
* Neck and shoulder pain
* Fright and flight syndrome
* Anxiety attacks
* Restlessness

These are just some of the symptoms related to stress.  Your body is screaming at you to slow down.  While there are some who thrive on stress to complete a major project at work after all is said and done they are left totally exhausted.  The price paid is too high.

We live in a stressful environment.  However, it doesn’t mean we have to absorb the everyday stresses that are on the outer periphery of our minds.  Stress is the number one cause of serious illness and death, and unless and until we manage it properly our bodies may just give up trying. 

While illness from stress is more associated with women, men are just as much at risk from stress as well.

Among the health-related conditions researchers associate with men are hypertension, behavior disorders and alcohol and drug abuse.  Studies have shown that women tend to live longer than men.  Perhaps the aforementioned symptoms in men account for one of the reasons why women live longer than men.

A recent study among men concluded that stress was linked to increased chances of stroke.  This is due to the increase in blood pressure in men who are under stress.  It has also been suggested that men experience a “flight or fight” symptom, which are a key component of anxiety attacks.  This need to flee or fight becomes a necessary option for men, as opposed to women.  It is considered a manly thing to do.  In addition, men under stress also experience an increase in their heart rate along with blood pressure causing strokes and heart disease. 

Another group who also suffer from stress is children and teens.  While much has been written on stress-related illnesses in teens as it pertains to suicide and other erratic behavior, it should also be mentioned here as well.

Children and teens are under a great deal of pressure.  Whether there is peer pressure, bullying, or they are unable to achieve success in any given subject.  The affect of stress on teens has been clearly evident in recent news.  They become isolated, develop eating disorders, have low self-esteem, cut class, listen to dark music, spend a great deal of time alone in their rooms and thoughts of suicide comes to the forefront of their lives.

While women are affected by stress, men have higher incidents of chronic diseases while children and teens suffer untold stress-related illness as previously mentioned. Stress can kill. It can debilitate and it can also cause behavior that leads to tragic consequences.