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Time Change -- Daylight Savings A Mood Boost?

By 250 News

Clocks "spring forward" overnight as Daylight Savings Time begins

For those suffering from the winter blahs, will the switch to Daylight Savings Time make a difference in their moods?

Not necessarily, says Angela Plested, a local registered nurse with the Community Acute Stabilization Team.  Plested works with city residents suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder.  She says SAD affects people from about the end of September or early October until about February.

Plested says it's when the days start to grow longer that people start to feel better so she expects the actual time change to have little impact.  "But, certainly, getting an extra hour of light in the evening time does give people a boost, but it's not significant."

Plested says while about 15-percent of the adult population suffers from depression, it's difficult to estimate just how many may suffer from SAD.  But she says the dark, northern winters do make it fairly common here.

And Plested has this advice heading into the sunnier months, "If people have had two or three winters where they've experienced a low mood, then it's really a good idea to start planning in the summer how to cope with the winter."  Some suggestions include: planning winter activities, getting out on those days when it's sunny and limiting sunglass-use in the winter months.

Light therapy is offered at the Mental Health Unit, Plestad says, "People come in, in the morning, sit under the lights for 20-minutes or half-an-hour, they read a book or have a cup of coffee.  They usually come in for two-week blocks and if they find it helps them, we do recommend they purchase a light of their own for use at home."

Plested adds that anyone with mental health concerns can phone the Community Response Unit at 565-2268 for a telephone interview and, depending on the person's needs, they may be referred to light therapy, or other recommendations might be made.



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