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If you feel like escaping because the sun sets around 5 pm, think about this: The people of Barrow, Alaska, the northernmost city in the United States, will not have daylight – just at night – from sunset and all day On January 23, he found 9 hours and 52 minutes of daylight the same day. Even on the shortest day of the year, the December 21 winter solstice, the people of the Washington area will have nearly 9 hours and 30 minutes of daylight. If you live in Miami, you can expect 10 hours 31 minutes that day. In Portland, Oregon, it's 8 hours and 42 minutes Billings, Mt., 8 hours 40 minutes.
Many find that shorter days and longer nights affect their health. According to Mental Health America, about 5% of the population develops a seasonal depression. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, a decrease in daylight triggers a "winter blues" a little softer, between 10 and 20%. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, affects women much more often than men. 4 out of 5 people with SAD are women. It also affects people under 30 years more often than older people. Symptoms include typical signs of depression – low energy levels, sleep problems, change in appetite and weight, loss of interest in favorite activities. But with SAD, the symptoms come and go with the season. Nobody knows what is causing SAR, but most experts associate its development with less exposure to sunlight, caused by shorter days in autumn and winter. This can disrupt your body's internal clock, cause depression, and lower serotonin levels in your body, increase melatonin levels, and decrease vitamin D levels, affecting your mood. Treatment options include light therapy (sitting in front of a special light box for 20 to 60 minutes a day), as well as behavioral therapy and possibly antidepressants. If relocation is an option, consider heading south. The closer you are to the equator, the lower your risk of seasonal depression.
– Linda Searing
Read more
When the winter brings the blues: how to treat seasonal affective disorder.
It's not just being stuck inside; The winter cold prepares us to get sick
This winter depression treatment lasts longer than sitting in bright light
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