Seasonal Affective Disorder

The right diet is the key to managing many diseases and to improving general quality of life. For this condition, scientific research has found benefit in the following healthy eating tips.

• Complex Carbohydrates

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  Replacing simple carbohydrates, such as sweets and processed foods made with white flours, with unrefined, whole grain options may help achieve long-term control over negative mood.

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  Complex Carbohydrates

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  Cravings for simple carbohydrates are increased in SAD, and women diagnosed with this form of winter depression have been found to eat more carbohydrates, both sweets and starches, than do healthy women. These women also report eating in response to emotionally difficult conditions, anxiety, depression, and loneliness more frequently than healthy women, but eating patterns associated with SAD are distinct from those of women with eating disorders.²⁶

  People with SAD process sugar differently in winter compared with summer or after light therapy in winter.²⁷ Changes in neurotransmitters that may affect cravings also occur in women with SAD.²⁸ Because consumption of carbohydrates can influence neurotransmitter levels,²⁹ some authorities have speculated that eating simple carbohydrates may be a form of self-medication in people with SAD. A review of the research on diet and mood found that, while eating simple carbohydrates in reaction to depressed mood does bring about a temporary lift in mood, other evidence suggests that long-term control of negative moods is, for some people, best achieved by eliminating simple carbohydrates from the diet.³⁰ No research has yet been conducted, however, to evaluate the benefits of a diet low in simple carbohydrates (or any other dietary intervention) for people with SAD.