Winter Depression is an illness that affects people’s moods and behaviors during the winter season. Winter depression is also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It is more common in women compared to men.
- SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- CAUSES OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- DIAGNOSIS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- TREATMENTS FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- PROGNOSIS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- COMPLICATIONS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- WINTER DEPRESSION AND AYURVEDA
- NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- AYURVEDIC LOCAL TREATMENT FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- HOME REMEDIES FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- YOGA FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- RESEARCH PAPERS ON WINTER DEPRESSION
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- Withdrawing from family
- Increased appetite
- Weight gain
- Intense irritability
- Diminished ability to think clearly, concentrate or make decisions
- Restlessness
- oversleeping
CAUSES OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- A tendency toward low mood during the winter months would have been adaptive by reducing the need for calorie intake.
- Based on personality traits
- Seasonal mood variations are believed to be related to light
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF WINTER DEPRESSION
Winter depression is related to the availability of light. Cloud cover may contribute to the negative effects of winter depression. There is evidence that many patients with seasonal mood variations have a delay in their circadian rhythm, and that bright light treatment corrects these delays which may be responsible for the improvement in patients.
DIAGNOSIS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- Proper History taking
- Laboratory tests to find out hormonal changes like thyroid hormone.
TREATMENTS FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- Counselling
- Light therapy
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Antidepressants
- Ionised air administration
PROGNOSIS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- Early diagnosis and treatment help to manage the symptoms related to winter depression.
COMPLICATIONS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide
- Substance abuse
WINTER DEPRESSION AND AYURVEDA
- In Ayurveda winter season is refers as seeta kala.
- Ayurveda explains rithu charya (seasonal regimens) for different seasons including winter.
NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- Cold atmosphere
- Increased digestion (agni)
- Reduced sunlight
- Increased vata dosha
PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- Intense irritability during the winter season may be found as an initial symptom.
SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
Excessive vitiation of vata dosha due to cold external environment during seeta kala (winter) leads to irritability in the manas (mind).
LAKSHANA- AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- Depression (XXXnmade)
- Hungry in the early morning
- Hopelessness
- Mood swings
- Irritability
AYURVEDIC PROGNOSIS OF WINTER DEPRESSION
- Sadhya – curable
CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- Brahmighrita
- Brahmi swarasa – juice of Bacopa monnieri
- Saraswataghrita
- Kalyanakaghrita
- Dasamolaghrita
- Aswagandharista
- Shankpushpi churna
AYURVEDIC LOCAL TREATMENT FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- Vimardana – Body massage
- Murdha taila – oil application on the head
- Abhyanga – oil massage on the body
- Padaghata – massage on the feet
COMMONLY USED AYURVEDIC MEDICINES FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
Internal administration
- Brahmighrita
- Saraswataghrita
- Kalyanakaghrita
- Dasamolaghrita
- Aswagandharista
- Saraswartarishta
- Brahmivati
- Medhyavati
HOME REMEDIES FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- Enhance communications with family members
- Always engaged in activities
- Body covered with blankets
DIET AND BEHAVIOUR FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- Avoid food items which produce dosha imbalance like cold and dry food, hard to digest. Because dosha imbalance aggravates the symptoms.
- Consume easily digestible nutritious food items, cow’s milk, and ghee.
- Oil massage on the head is advised.
- Advice regular exercise
- Hot water bath
YOGA FOR WINTER DEPRESSION
- Nadi Shuddi Pranayam – Calms the mind
The patient needs to be seated in a meditative posture with the head and spine erect, with the body relaxed. The patient has to close his one nostril (e.g. left nostril if using the right hand and vice versa) with the thumb and exhale completely through the other nostril. Again, he will have to breathe in deeply through the other nostril while the opposite nostril is still closed with the thumb.
- Shavasana – relaxes the body and mind
- Bhastrika pranayama
RESEARCH PAPERS ON WINTER DEPRESSION
- Seasonal affective disorder, winter type: current insights and treatment options
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5138072/