Does your body get the blues when the skies are gray? Often known as S.A.D. or seasonal affective disorder, people in colder, grayer climates often experience depression and related symptoms during the winter months. Join me on Wednesday, December 16^th as I talk to Dr. Marie-Annette Brown about the “body blues” and learn how to prevent problems related to Seasonal Affective Disorder. To help her many patients with the body blues, Dr. Brown and her colleagues at the University of Washington designed and developed the LEVITY Program.  Dr. Brown has also co-authored a book with bestselling writer Jo Robinson called “When Your Body Gets the Blues“. The book is based on the lifestyle program developed by Dr. Brown at the University of Washington that relieves low mood, fatigue, anxiety, irritability, and food cravings in women.

Dr. Brown is a professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Washington. In addition to teaching, she is actively involved in clinical practice and research and has published more than 60 scientific papers. She is nationally certified as a family and psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner and provides primary care at the University of Washington Women’s Health Care Clinic.

Look at the following indicators and discover for yourself  if you get the “body blues” when the world has less light.

1. I’ve been feeling tired or sluggish.
2. I’ve had difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.
3. I’ve been eating more than I would like, especially in the second half of the day.
4. My thinking has seemed fuzzy or unfocused.
5. I’ve had little interest in sex.
6. I’ve been eating too much.
7. I’ve been felling tense or anxious.
8. I’ve been feeling stressed.
9. I’ve been sleeping too much or feeling sleepy during the day.
10. When I feel anxious, irritable, tired or stressed, I’ve been eating sweets, chocolate or carbohydrates.
11. I’ve been thinking about my own death, (but not necessarily taking my own life.)
12. I’ve been eating to comfort myself, even when I’m not hungry.
13. When I’ve been feeling down, I’ve had the urge to buy things to boost my mood.
14. I’ve been feeling irritable or angry.
15. I’ve been having more problems making decisions.
16. I’ve been maing “verbal slips” or having difficulty remembering people’s names.
17. I’ve had greatly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities for at least the past two weeks.
18. I’ve been very depressed, sad, without feeling, or tearful most of the day for at least the past two weeks.
19. I’ve been feeling so low or depressed that I’ve had a very hard time functioning for at least the past two weeks.

Be sure to tune in on Wednesday at 9amPST to learn more about managing SAD.

To your health!