Chronobiology

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): How Changing Seasons Can Change Your Mood

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons. The most typical pattern for SAD is that symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away with the arrival of spring. It is also possible for someone to experience seasonal affective disorder in a summer pattern, though this is quite rare.

In previous decades, seasonal affective disorder was considered a completely separate condition than major depressive disorder. However, professionals now consider it to simply be a subset of major depressive disorder, with a seasonal aspect attached.

In order to be diagnosed with SAD, you have to meet the full criteria for clinical depression, you must only experience the depression during a particular season and it must occur for a minimum of two years. If you are experiencing several of the following symptoms, you may meet the diagnostic criteria for a major depressive episode:

anxiety
changes in appetite or weight
difficulty concentrating
feeling hopeless
feeling sad
feeling worthless
feelings of guilt
irritability
lack of energy
lethargy or sluggishness
losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
sleep disturbances
thoughts of death or suicide
symptoms must be present across most days and situations

There are certain risk factors for seasonal affective disorder. Women are four times as likely to be diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder. Those who live far from the equator—whether far north or far south—are many times more likely to suffer from this condition. For example, whereas only 1 percent of Florida residents experience seasonal affective disorder, 9 percent of Alaska residents do. Seasonal affective disorder is most commonly diagnosed in adolescents and young adults, which may indicate that younger age is a risk factor, though it may also be that older adults are less likely to seek out diagnosis and help for this disorder. Lastly, a family history of seasonal affective disorder, major depression and possibly other psychiatric illnesses may raise your risk of developing seasonal affective disorder yourself.

Why Does SAD Occur?

There are several factors that contribute to depression in the darker months of the year (the causes of summertime depression are much less understood). Serotonin is a neurotransmitter highly responsible for maintaining a normal mood; production of this chemical is partly triggered by sunlight exposure. Since there is much less sunlight during the fall and winter, serotonin levels can plummet. Less sunlight also means less vitamin D production; a lack of this nutrient has been highly linked to depression and mood.

Melatonin is another neurotransmitter—its presence promotes mental and physical sleepiness, which is important for falling asleep at night. Melatonin begins to be secreted once the sun goes down; its release is triggered by darkness. When the world around you is dark all the time, melatonin may be released at inappropriate times, leading to lethargy and lack of concentration, which are integral symptoms of depression for many people.

In the fall and winter, the generalized darkness of the outside world can have a negative effect on brain chemistry, causing depression. The cold and gloomy weather can also drive many people to stay inside. Though it may feel cozy to stay at home in the winter, the downside of this is that it could lead to social isolation. Social isolation may be a contributing factor for wintertime depression for some sufferers.

How Can SAD Be Treated?

There are many possible angles to take when it comes to treating seasonal depression. The mainstays of treatment are medication to help re-balance brain chemistry, and specialized psychotherapy for seasonal depression. Therapy is great for helping the patient learn to identify and change negative thoughts and behaviors that perpetuate depression, learn healthy ways to cope with depression and learn how to manage stress.

The principal aspect of treating seasonal affective disorder, that isn’t used to treat conventional depression, is light therapy. The purpose of light therapy is to mimic natural outdoor light to replace the sunlight lost during winter. This treatment has been used for seasonal depression since the 1980s. Traditional light therapy consists of sitting in front of a specially-made bright light for 20 to 60 minutes, usually within the first hour of waking up in the morning.

A common complaint of people who use light therapy is that they do not always have time to sit in front of the light every single morning. To make light therapy more flexible and convenient, a number of companies have developed special light-emitting glasses. With these special glasses, the wearer can continue to carry out everyday tasks while receiving therapeutical doses of light that does not affect the quality of vision.

In addition to these treatments, another great addition to a seasonal depression treatment plan is taking a supplement that contains vitamin D, which has been shown in research to help relieve depressive symptoms. Lastly, an important habit for sufferers of any type of depression to develop is exercise. Research shows that regular exercise can be as effective as medication or psychotherapy. Even just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week can make a big difference. Exercise relieves depression because it releases endorphins, regulates the circadian rhythm, reduces stress, increases light exposure if done outside and can help improve self-esteem.

Chronobiology and the Circadian Rhythm: What You Need to Know

Oct 18 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

The circadian rhythm is a huge topic of discussion lately due to a group of three researchers winning the Nobel Prize for identifying the genes and proteins that coordinate our internal clocks. As the Nobel Laureate committee noted, a small mismatch between our bodies and the environment can lead to serious health problems. This makes understanding chronobiology and the circadian rhythm critical to maintaining good health.

Chronobiology and the Circadian Rhythm: The Basics

All living creatures have a circadian rhythm, from the smallest unicellular creatures to plants to even complex mammals such as humans. Our bodies have internal clocks that tell us when to be alert, when to sleep and even when to eat. These clocks are innate but also are influenced by external factors such as sunlight, temperature and when we eat. Our circadian rhythms refer to a 24-hour clock, but we also have cycles that repeat monthly, seasonally and annually.

Why are these clocks important? Consider the event of waking. In the early morning hours, our brains switch from making melatonin, a hormone that increases sleepiness, to making the wakeful hormone cortisol instead. As the sky begins to light up, our brain begins to awaken, along with every cell in our bodies. By the time the alarm goes off or we wake naturally, our body is primed to get up and be alert.

What Happens When Your Internal Clock Is Out of Sync?

Why are our internal clocks important? Quite simply it is because our bodies cannot function effectively without them. Without these internal clocks, our bodies cannot prepare ahead of time for events such as eating and sleeping, which can cause issues with these activities. Disorders ranging from IBS to even depression have been linked to dysregulation of internal clocks in the GI tract.

In addition, our bodies depend on these internal clocks to determine when to perform important repair activities such as DNA repair. When our circadian rhythm is dysregulated, these activities may not occur on the right schedule or even may not occur at all. This leads to a higher risk of cancer and other potentially deadly diseases, which have been linked to jet lag, shift work and other disruptions of the circadian rhythm.

Advances in Chronobiology, Advances in Health

New understanding of internal clocks and the way that they affect our health and happiness have led to a new field called chronobiology. Chronobiology is the study of these internal clocks, including the clock that governs our circadian rhythm.

Much of our sleep-wake cycle is governed by an internal clock located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. This area of the brain collects information about light levels and other external cues, using these to modify the timing of our internal clocks. Understanding more about the genes and biochemicals involved in these can lead to new and more effective treatments for the circadian disorders. For instance, we now know that melatonin is an important part of the body’s preparation to sleep and thus that taking a melatonin supplement can help to get the circadian rhythm back on track. Other new discoveries in the field of chronobiology may mean new and innovative treatments in the future.

Modern Conflicts with Circadian Rhythm

While we now understand more about the circadian rhythm than we ever have, modern life makes maintaining a stable internal clock a greater challenge than ever before. People are working increasingly erratic hours due to a planet where the business day never stops. Many people work odd shifts that keep them from waking and going to bed at a regular time. Travel for work and personal reasons has made jet lag a common affliction. Even simple things like daylight savings time can throw internal clocks off kilter.

Light pollution is also a modern problem that interferes with the circadian rhythm. Most modern people no longer live in an area where total darkness is possible. This can interfere with melatonin production, sleeping habits and long-term health. It may even be part of the reason that we have seen a sharp increase in obesity, metabolic disorders and other chronic diseases.

Maintaining Healthy Internal Clocks

How can modern people combine new information about the circadian rhythm into their own healthy lifestyle? While there is still much to be learned, there are concrete ways that we can help to stabilize our internal clocks. Consider the following strategies:

Maintain a stable sleep schedule with the same bedtime and waking time—even on days off.
Expose your skin to bright natural light every day.
Try to create the darkest possible environment at night, using blackout curtains if necessary.
Turn off screens about an hour before you go to bed.
Consider taking a melatonin supplement at night if you have trouble falling or staying asleep.

This Nobel Prize has brought attention to the circadian rhythm and the field of chronobiology, for good reason. Understanding the workings of the human body’s internal clocks may lead to new and innovative treatments that help people to lead a healthier lifestyle.

Caution: Melatonin and Alcohol Don’t Mix

Oct 10 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Melatonin is a popular natural supplement used by millions who occasionally have trouble falling asleep. While melatonin can be effective, there are dangers to assuming natural compounds are always safe—especially when they are combined with other supplements, prescription medications or alcohol. Melatonin and alcohol taken together can lead to serious complications. Alcohol can also impact the effects of melatonin. Here’s how to take melatonin safely and why you should never mix it with alcohol.

What is Melatonin?

Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. While there are small amounts of melatonin found in some foods like vegetables and meat, it’s most commonly used in supplement form.

This hormone is essential in controlling sleep-wake cycles. When the pineal gland perceives a decrease in light, the gland begins to produce melatonin, which makes you feel tired. This usually occurs around 9 p.m. Melatonin levels will rise sharply and stay elevated in the blood for about 12 hours, or basically all night. Bright light does the opposite to decrease melatonin secretion and make you feel more awake. Melatonin levels drop to a daytime low by about 9 a.m. During the day, melatonin levels should be hard to detect. Night shift work or being exposed to bright lights at night can disrupt this delicate biological clock. Rapid travel between multiple time zones can also interfere with your biological clock.

Melatonin is an effective sleep aid for occasional sleeplessness, as long as you proceed with caution. A 2002 Cochrane review of 10 randomized trials found melatonin is “remarkably effective” in the prevention and reduction of jet lag. It has been found to help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. When used at the correct low dose, it can also reduce daytime fatigue. While good for occasional sleeplessness, when it comes to chronic insomnia, melatonin offers only modest help and may cause more harm than good in the long run. Melatonin will become ineffective when used for too long or at a high dose.

Dangers of Combining Melatonin and Alcohol

There are two potential negative side effects of combining alcohol with melatonin. The first is both compounds are sedatives that cause sleepiness. Combining drugs (including melatonin) and alcohol can cause excessive sleepiness and other side effects. Potential side effects of combining alcohol with melatonin can include:

difficulty sleeping
slow response time
dizziness
intense dreams and anxiety
redness of the face
fast heartbeat
swelling of the hands and feet
difficulty thinking and concentrating

Someone who has combined alcohol and melatonin may have difficulty driving and even walking. This increases the risk of traffic accidents and falls at home.

The other problem with combining these sedatives: Alcohol can actually decrease the effectiveness of melatonin. Alcohol does not promote natural sleep patterns and multiple studies have found that alcohol consumption at night actually decreases melatonin levels. One study conducted by France’s Centre Hospitalier Universitaire found that drinking 256 grams of alcohol (or 9 ounces) over a 24-hour period can reverse normal melatonin production. This results in lower melatonin production at night but higher production during the day.

Combining sedatives may result in excessive drowsiness or loss of consciousness, but some people experience the opposite effect. Some people feel like they have taken a stimulant when alcohol is combined with melatonin. This may be due to the body reacting to alcohol by producing adrenaline.

How to Use Melatonin Safely

Melatonin is generally safe to use to help you sleep as long as you do not combine it with other sedatives. There are no known major complications of melatonin, but mild side effects can include daytime drowsiness, irritability, headaches and stomach cramps.

A dose of 1-3 milligrams around one hour before bedtime is usually enough to maximize the body’s response to the supplement. Using melatonin consistently before bed usually produces results within a few days. You can also use melatonin to speed your recovery from jet lag, according to research. To do this, take 5 mg for three or four days at your intended bedtime after you fly east.

Melatonin supplements are only designed to reset your body’s internal clock, not treat full-blown insomnia or chronic sleep problems. Melatonin should be used to help counter the effects of jet lag, get through an unusual work schedule or manage circadian rhythm disorder, but beware of long-term melatonin supplementation.

When it comes to melatonin, more is not necessarily better: You should also use the lowest dose possible to improve sleep. Research has suggested that high doses of melatonin before bed cause higher plasma melatonin levels in the morning. This can leave you groggy the next day. Commonly available high doses of melatonin are also ineffective and stop working after a few days, according to one MIT study, which did confirm the hormone is effective as a sleep aid. This is because the melatonin receptors in the brain are exposed to too much of the compound and become unresponsive to it.

Circadian Rhythm Discoveries win the Nobel Prize

Oct 02 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Guest Post: Chronobiology.com

The chronobiology community received one of the highest recognitions on Monday as the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was awarded to three Americans for their discovery on how internal clocks and biological rhythms govern human life.

Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young took home the prize “for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm,” said the Nobel Foundation. The trio’s work explains how plants, animals and humans adapt their biological rhythms in synchronicity with the rotations of the Earth.

According to the summary of the discovery, the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet:

“Using fruit flies as a model organism, this year’s Nobel laureates isolated a gene that controls the normal daily biological rhythm. They showed that this gene encodes a protein that accumulates in the cell during the night, and is then degraded during the day. Subsequently, they identified additional protein components of this machinery, exposing the mechanism governing the self-sustaining clockwork inside the cell. We now recognize that biological clocks function by the same principles in cells of other multicellular organisms, including humans.

“With exquisite precision, our inner clock adapts our physiology to the dramatically different phases of the day. The clock regulates critical functions such as behavior, hormone levels, sleep, body temperature and metabolism.”

When astronomer Jacques d’Ortous de Mairan studied mimosa plants in the 18^th century, he discovered the plant’s leaves open toward the sun during the day and close at dusk, thus discovering plants have their own biological clock. This led to findings that humans and animals also have a biological clock and daily physiology fluctuations. This daily adaption is dubbed the circadian rhythm.

This year’s Nobel Laureates sought out how this internal clock actually works. Hall and Rosbash previously isolated the period gene in 1984, followed by discovering that PER (the protein encoded by period) accumulated during the night and degraded during the daytime, proving the PER protein levels oscillate over a 24-hour cycle in sync with the circadian rhythm. Young went on to discover a second clock gene called timeless that encoded the TIM protein necessary for a normal circadian rhythm. This resulted in Young showing that when TIM bound to PER, the proteins entered the cell nucleus and blocked the period gene. This feedback loop shed light on how cellular protein oscillation occurred. Then Young identified the doubletime gene (DBT) that delayed the accumulation of the PER protein.

Though these discoveries, they learned that all multicellular organisms—including humans—use similar mechanisms to control circadian rhythms. During the different phases of the day, the body is primed for different processes. For example, cortisol is released at 6 a.m., 9 a.m. has high alertness and your best coordination is midday around 3 p.m. with the fastest reaction times occurring then. Your highest body temperature is around 6 p.m., the body’s highest blood pressure occurs in the evening, followed by melatonin secretion around 10 p.m. The deepest sleep in the cycle occurs after midnight, followed by the lowest body temperature around 3 a.m. and then the cycle begins anew.

The site Chronobiology.com is dedicated to the history, findings and advancements of Chronobiology.

Research on Vitamins and Sleep Links Vitamins A, B12 and D to Healthy Circadian Rhythm

Jun 24 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Disordered sleep is a common and growing public health problem affecting 50-70 million people in the United States. While part of this is due to the business of modern life, there also appear to be other factors at play. At the same time, many Americans suffer from vitamin deficiencies due to poor diet and depleted food. Could these two issues be related? New chronobiology research on the link between vitamins and sleep suggest taking a multivitamin may be an important part of maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm.

Vitamin D: How the Sunlight Vitamin Regulates Circadian Rhythm

There has long been a suspected link between vitamin D and sleep, whereas many people who are deficient in this vitamin suffered from fatigue, insomnia and other indications of a circadian disorder. According to new studies, this is due to the role of vitamin D in the transcription of genes related to the circadian rhythm.

It is well known that sunlight is one of the major cues for our sleep-wake cycle. Previous research has shown that this is at least partially due to its effect on our hypothalamus, which cues the release of the sleep hormone in the absence of light cues from the eyes. However, vitamin D also may be part of the way that sunlight regulates the circadian rhythm. Vitamin D is synthesized when the ultraviolet rays of the sun interact with proteins in our skin cells. In turn, this vitamin D activates certain circadian genes. If you are not getting enough vitamin D, your body may be losing one of its ways of determining whether it is day or night and sleep disorders may ensue.

Seeing the Light

When it comes to vitamins and sleep, vitamin A appears to affect the circadian rhythm in a different but just as crucial way. Vitamin A is very important to maintaining good vision. This includes differentiating light from dark. As mentioned before, your eyes’ perception of light is crucial to maintaining appropriate melatonin cycles and thus a healthy sleep-wake cycle. Without the ability to perceive light, your brain may release melatonin throughout the day, making you sleepy and fatigued. It ends up that the cells in your eyes that are responsible for perceiving light levels are especially dependent on vitamin A.

Even if you can see well, the parts of your eyes that perceive light levels, known as rhodopsins, may not be getting enough vitamin A to function correctly. In fact, night blindness and sleep disorders may be the first signs of a deficiency. If you have trouble sleeping, your diet may be a partial cause. This may be the first sign of a vitamin A deficiency that is having less-noticeable negative effects on your health.

B Vitamins and Sleep

B vitamins are well known for contributing to our energy levels. This is partially due to their role as cofactors in metabolic reactions. However, there may be a second reason that you feel tired when you don’t get enough of this broad class of vitamins. Studies have found that people sleep better and have more REM sleep when given B vitamin supplements. We also know that B vitamins are important in the synthesis of hormones related to sleep and circadian rhythm, such as serotonin.

Vitamin B12 appears to have an especially important role in maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm. People who take a vitamin B12 supplement report better sleep and also have higher levels of melatonin metabolites in their urine at night. They also have decreased melatonin levels during the day, suggesting that B12 helps the body to maintain better control over their sleep-wake cycle. Taking a supplement of this vitamin has also been found to help treat jet lag and other common circadian disorders.

Getting the Vitamins You Need for a Healthy Circadian Rhythm

If you are interested in sleeping better—and who isn’t?—getting enough vitamins may be an easy first step. Many people in the West have lower than optimal levels of nutrients, in part due to depleted soil. However, there are many supplements and multivitamins on the market that can help you to get enough of all of the nutrients you need. While it is important to eat a varied diet and to get as many vitamins as possible from your food, many people cannot get enough vitamins without taking a multivitamin. In addition, getting enough sunlight is important to metabolizing vitamin D, as well as to maintaining healthy melatonin levels. If you wear sunscreen and avoid direct sunlight to prevent skin cancer, an additional supplement of vitamin D may be necessary.

Many chronic diseases have been found to be linked to vitamin deficiencies. New research suggests that sleep disorders may also be caused by not getting the nutrients we need. Eating a healthy diet and taking supplements as needed to keep vitamin levels high is one of the most important things you can do to maintain optimal health and a healthy circadian rhythm.

The Dawn Phenomenon: Understanding the Circadian Rhythm of Blood Sugar

Jun 08 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing health problems in the United States and Western World, with around a third of the American adult population currently diabetic or showing signs of developing diabetes. While this disease can be difficult to manage, it can often be treated or even prevented by controlling blood sugar. An increasing body of research suggests that your circadian rhythm may be an incredibly important factor in blood glucose levels and diabetes management. Understanding the way your blood sugar changes over the course of a day is crucial to taking proactive steps to prevent wide fluctuations.

What Is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease in which the body has chronically high blood sugar levels due to defects in blood glucose metabolism. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas does not make insulin, a hormone that is critical to getting blood glucose out of the bloodstream and into cells where it is needed. In type 2 diabetes, the problem is more complicated: Although there may be normal or even high insulin levels, the cells have become insulin resistant. This means that they do not let blood sugar into the cell even when there is enough insulin. With both types of diabetes, blood sugar remains in the bloodstream where it is very destructive, while cells often starve for fuel.

Diabetes has increased in modern times to the point that it is now considered an epidemic. It is one of the most pervasive and expensive health problems in the United States. Even more distressing, rates of this disease and related disorders of the metabolism are expected to continue increasing for the foreseeable future. Americans have too much access to carbohydrate-rich foods; in fact, these are often the most accessible and affordable.

The Dawn Phenomenon and the Circadian Rhythm of Blood Sugar

Recent research indicates that circadian rhythm is a very important part of how our bodies metabolize blood glucose. Whether you are diabetic or not, your blood glucose likely follows a rhythm known as the “dawn phenomenon.” In this phenomenon, hormones released in the morning drive cortisol levels high. Cortisol is released, which decreases insulin and increases glucagon. This causes blood sugar to increase, ensuring that we are conserving energy to be used after we awake.

This hormonal release appears to be an important link between the circadian rhythm and blood sugar. Although this phenomenon is troublesome mainly for people with diabetes and other metabolic diseases, it occurs in almost all people. This is partially due to the influence of glucocorticoids such as cortisol. When researchers studied mice who had been administered glucocorticoids, they found that these hormones increased the activity of three different genes linked to circadian rhythm. In addition, the mice’s blood sugar levels increased.

Maintaining Healthy Blood Sugar Levels Naturally

Whether you have type 2 diabetes or are in perfect health, maintaining stable blood glucose will help you to feel better and actually be healthier. There are several ways that you can accomplish this, including:

Lose weight. Even getting a few pounds closer to a healthy weight can level out your blood sugar.
Exercise for at least a half hour a day. Late night exercise can be especially beneficial if you often wake up with high blood sugars.
Choose carbs wisely. People with diabetes can still eat carbs, but they should choose carbs mixed with fiber and other macronutrients rather than white sugar and white flour.
Eat carbs at strategic times. There are likely times of day when you need a blood sugar bump, but eating carbs at night can lead to waking up with high blood glucose.
Eat small and regular meals with balanced amounts of carbohydrates.
Avoid nicotine and caffeine, which contribute to blood glucose fluctuation.
Get eight hours of sleep a night, taking care to go to bed and awaken at roughly the same time. A healthy circadian rhythm contributes to better glucose metabolism.
Eat a wide range of antioxidants.
Follow your doctor’s recommended regimen, if you have one. It is important to take medications at the correct times and in the correct amounts.
Take a multivitamin with plenty of antioxidants.
Know your triggers. Every person reacts uniquely to different foods. It is important to know both your triggers and your safe foods.

There are also several healthy and natural supplements that can be used to keep blood sugar under control. Consider taking a supplement designed to support healthy blood sugar with ingredients such as chromium picolinate, N-acetyl cysteine, bilberry fruit, banaba leaf, vanadium, Gymnema, fenugreek and bitter melon. These ingredients each work in a different way to support healthy blood glucose and maintain metabolic balance. Magnesium has also been shown to protect against the development of diabetes.

While diabetes is common, there are many healthy and natural ways that people can prevent and even treat it. Maintaining control of your blood sugar will help you to feel better and actually be healthier, both now and over the course of your life. Understanding your circadian rhythm and how it affects your blood glucose is an important piece of this puzzle.