Touched by prostate cancer or not, the particularity of the seasonal depression is that it comes back each year more or less at the same time. From an article by Catherine Girard, here are some tips from psychologist Marie-Pier Lavoie to relight your inner sun.

Go play outside

Seasonal depression is caused by fewer hours of sunshine. “On the other hand, when the cold weather approaches, we tend to be more at home, which means that we are less exposed to natural light than during the summer. We must take advantage of every opportunity to go outside, “says Marie-Pier Lavoie, who has made treatment of seasonal depression its specialty.

A healthy lifestyle

It can not be repeated enough: getting enough sleep, eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising is not only good for our physical health, it is also very beneficial for our mental health. “In the case of seasonal depression, the effects of physical activity are even more remarkable when it is practiced outdoors,” says the psychologist.

Adopt light therapy

In addition to being effective, light therapy is very simple. A lamp designed for this purpose is available in most pharmacies and supermarkets. “We favor devices with an intensity of 10,000 lux and emitting a white light. And it is used from September to April, for 30 minutes each morning. It is important to respect this time slot because the sessions have a stimulating effect. ”

Consulter

« On confond souvent déprime hivernale et dépression saisonnière. Or, ce sont deux choses distinctes », insiste Marie-Pier Lavoie. La première, qui touche environ une personne sur cinq, se caractérise par de l’hypersomnie et par un sentiment de lourdeur. La seconde, beaucoup plus rare, occasionne des symptômes beaucoup plus invalidants. « Dans ce cas, il faut consulter sans tarder! La thérapie cognitivo-comporte-mentale, combinée à la luminothérapie, donne d’excellents résultats. »

Consult

“Winter blues are often confused with seasonal depression. These are two different things, “insists Marie-Pier Lavoie. The first, which affects about one in five people, is characterized by hypersomnia and a feeling of heaviness. The second, much rarer, causes much more disabling symptoms. “In this case, it is necessary to consult without delay! Cognitive-behavioral therapy, combined with light therapy, gives excellent results. ”

And in closing …

Vitamin D

Since we live in a Nordic country, when autumn arrives and the sunshine time decreases, we are definitely lacking vitamin D in our system. This is why it has been added to milk for many years.

Consult your pharmacist who can advise you a vitamin D supplement adapted to your needs to add to your diet to lessen the symptoms of a deficiency, including seasonal fatigue.

Source : Catherine Girard of the METRO newspaper