KatCarney

Craving Carbs? It Could Be Winter Depression
(Daily Herald; Arlington Heights, Ill.)
Updated: Dec 28th 2005
By Jane Oppermann

Those winter carb cravings might be signs of seasonal depression.

In England, the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day, the day once set aside to give boxes of food and gifts to domestic help or the poor. At our house, it's called Leftover Day. This is the day we give in to our cravings, joyfully disposing of those remaining Christmas cookies, stollen or fruitcake ... for breakfast.

Watch out, warns Saima Sabah, M.D., a Winfield psychiatrist on staff at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield. Craving all those carbohydrates might be a sign of winter depression, a type of seasonal affective disorder.

Some of us might believe that dreary winter days, especially ones following the hyperkinetic holidays, are Mother Nature's way of telling us to take a nap. Or that eating peanut M&M's (120 grams of carbohydrates per cup), Frango Mints (22 grams of energy- boosting, pound-packing carbs for four mints) and Grandma Ethel's Christmas Stollen (16 grams) are natural antidotes to seasonal sluggishness.

Doctors, however, tell us that such behavior might be symptoms of a recognized form of clinical depression.

Also known as SAD, it is depression that happens at the same time each year. The most common type is winter depression. Its incidence increases with increasing latitude - 1.4 percent in Florida and 9.7 percent in New Hampshire, for instance - and it's more common in women.

"Seasonal affective disorder usually presents itself at the same time every year and goes away in summer," noted Sabah, a board- certified psychiatrist. "Over time I've seen that people might get into a major depression if they don't attend to these symptoms. Even some patients with major depression might have a seasonal component to their disease."

Some studies report between 2 percent and 10 percent of the population has SAD, while other researchers report just 1 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The American Psychiatric Association estimates 10 percent to 20 percent of our population might struggle with mild symptoms associated with SAD. Symptoms might include weight gain, increased sleep, decreased physical activity, social withdrawal, afternoon slumps of energy and lethargic movement.

There are several theories about what causes SAD, reports an article appearing in this month's Consumer Reports on Health. One is that people with SAD produce more melatonin, a naturally occurring sleep-inducing hormone secreted when it's dark. Another theory holds that the level of serotonin, a mood-regulating brain chemical, might drop during darker months in some people. Others believe shorter days trigger a shift in SAD sufferers' circadian rhythms, which regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

A recent study presented last month at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience revealed that like humans, hamsters might struggle with the symptoms of SAD, namely anxiety and depression. Additional results of this study, conducted at Ohio State University, showed that gender and even being born in the winter might play a role in whether they experience the disorder.

At least hamsters can hibernate. We aren't so lucky. But there are ways of coping with this potentially serious disorder, Sabah said. First, eat a healthy diet. Those starchy, sugary comfort foods we crave might exacerbate your feelings of lethargy, so focus on energy-building foods like fruits, vegetables and proteins. Don't give into that urge to hibernate. Waking up early can help you reset your sluggish circadian system and get it back into sync. Exercise, which is even more effective if done first thing in the morning outdoors.

"Exercise is a natural anti-depressive," Sabah said. "Good eating habits and exercise is the first step in dealing with seasonal affective disorder."

If your symptoms are interfering with your normal routine, get help from your physician, who might prescribe light therapy, using a 10,000-lux light box specifically designed for SAD patients. Light therapy has been proven effective in more than 80 percent of diagnosed cases, reported the National Organization for Seasonal Affective Disorder.

If symptoms persist, antidepressant medication begun during the fall can help bring relief. A recent study published in "Biological Psychiatry," which was led by Norman E. Rosenthal, M.D., the physician who first described SAD more than 20 years ago, found that symptoms can be reduced or even prevented by taking the antidepressant bupropion extended-release tablets. Another study currently under way at the University of Vermont is looking into the success rate of "talk" therapy combined with light therapy.

"While getting away to a sunny location may seem like the best solution, better still to see your physician," Sabah said. "The cause of lack of energy and a feeling of depression can be the result of a combination of things. The first step should be seeing your doctor for an evaluation. That way you can receive the type of treatment that is best for you."

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ABumpyGal

Thank you for all of your tireless research Kat!

I know that I have experienced this carb craving problem in the winter as long as I can remember and there is a seasonal component to my Bipolar depressive episodes.

And to think I used to wonder why I'd put on a few pounds each winter! It seems so simple now!
Dana

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Me (33)/Michael (3o)
Together for almost nine long, happy years!

First PCOS dx: 1989
Supplements: One A Day Weight Smart, B Complex, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid (B5), B12, Saw Palmetto, Vit C, Vit D3, NAC, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Chromium Piconolate, Cinnamon, Magnesium, EPO, Zinc Gluconate, Green Tea
Diet: "Modified" Zone plan

"You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her" -Anon.


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Rosie1028

Kat,
I know I suffer from this! My body craves cheese nips! I know it is the salty, cheesy crunch! Hmmm I have been in such a funk all winter. I started to take a low dose of zoloft and see a counselor. I am feeling so much better!

The sun is starting to shine here. Exercise is so key to me feeling better. I love the endorphine rush I get. Yesterday it was rainy and cold. My hubby and I bundled up and went for a great walk. My butt is so sore this morning from a big hill, but I am so glad I did it.

I can't wait for spring!!

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Rosie~34
Happily Married with 2 Children


Dx PCOS, Hashi's

1500 mg Met ER
112 mg levoxyl
Yaz

Counting the days until my husband comes home from Afghanistan, December 4th at 8:33pm, but hey who's counting?!

Mel4Star

hey kat,
I would like to let you know that I am very inspired by all that you have gone through, and thank you so much for all of the great information that you put on this site! You are so very sweet and selfless!

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KatCarney

You're very welcome!!!


I'm glad you're feeling better! I know what you mean about 'the sun starting shine' (literally and figuratively!) Exercise is key for me, too.


Thank you - I'm glad the information is helpful!!! {{{hugs}}}

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