Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder: (SAD)
What are the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder? People who are affected by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) might suffer some of the following symptoms. The severity of these symptoms will vary from person to person. Also these symptoms can mimic other underlying causes so it is best to get a professional diagnosis to determine what is going on with you. Here are some of some of the symptoms people who suffer from SAD might experience:
Very little energy or more fatigue than normal: If you find during the summer months you are full of energy but as soon as winter rolls around you find your energy is slipping or you just don't feel like doing anything you might be suffering from SAD. I would also include with this the inability to concentrate. A diminished interest in sex might also categorize someone who is suffering from SAD.
Your mood seems to worsen: You are normally a happy person or at least easy to get along with. During the winter months if you find yourself becoming more irritable, sad or unusually quiet you might be experiencing the affects of SAD.
Craving certain foods: If you seem to crave certain foods such as pasta during the winter month you might be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder. Weight gain might also be another symptom.
There are other symptoms that can be present in someone who is experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder. And remember the symptoms listed above can also be the result of other conditions so schedule an appointment with you doctor if you think something is wrong.
Treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder: SAD
Fortunately there are some things you can do to alleviate the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Finding what works for you might involve some trial and error and it is best to work with your doctor or health care provider during this process.
Light Therapy: Using a specially made light for a certain amount of time (usually 30 minutes) has proved to be beneficial for some people. This seems to work best if done in the morning and it is important to not stare at the light directly.
Natural Therapies: Some suggest that the use of natural products such as St John's wort can be used to successfully combat the affects of SAD.
Once again it is best to take counsel with your doctor or health care provider before beginning any treatment:
Antidepressants: Your Doctor might prescribe antidepressants such as sertraline or fluoxetine to treat your Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Whatever degree to which you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder much more is now understood about the condition and there are ways to help relieve some of the symptoms. You do not have to dread the thought of each up coming winter. Rather tackle your SAD head on and enjoy winter, one of the four seasons of every year.
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Sunday
Wednesday
Free Winter Backgrounds For Your Computer
I get tired of looking at the same background images on my computer and change them frequently. My computer like most did not come with much of a selection of images so I put in the search phrase "free winter backgrounds for your computer" and came up with thousands of possibilities. However in doing some checking around I came across a site called Freeze that had some of the best free animated backgrounds for a computer i had ever seen. When you get to the site click on the link that says "See Entire Animated WallPaper Collection" It's amazing.
Friday
Snowy Owl
I think I have been hearing a snowy owl on my nightly walks. I always try to take a walk just as darkness starts to settle in. Sometimes during the winter months it is very cold when I take my walks but if it is not snowing I go walking every evening. Sometimes even when it is snowing I still go walking. I bundle up against the cold and try to walk at least a couple of miles. I live in the country with my nearest neighbor living a couple of miles from me. There is something so peaceful about taking a walk outside in the cold especially if there is a full moon. Sometimes the only sound I will hear is the sound of my boots as I am walking along the gravel road. I doubt if many people in this day and age experience utter silence in the out doors. I have heard that it is good to get in touch with nature and this is when I feel the closet to it. I think of those that have gone before me and that are now gone. I am not referring to the generation or two before me but to those humans who passed this way thousands of years ago. What were they like? I have often wondered this as I take my nightly walk. Surely they had concerns although I believe they would have been much different than mine. I doubted if they were concerned with paying a mortgage or if they were going to lose their job in the next round of layoffs. They probably did not wonder if their 401k would recover in time for them to retire with enough money to live on. I imagine their concerns where simpler but in some ways much more serious. Would they be able to find enough food to survive through the winter? Would their sick child make it through the cold night? While my concerns are very important to me and cause me much concern they seem somewhat trivial compared to my ancestors whose troubles seemed more basic in that they dealt with the very survival of life it self. I consider myself fortunate.
I mentioned earlier that I believed I had heard and seen a snowy owl in a row of trees as I would take my evening walk. I would hear him and then see a dark figure fly away in search of another tree in which to alight in. Last night I started my walk earlier than normal in hopes of getting a better glimpse of him. Sure enough he was perched in the same group of trees. He did not seem startled when I showed up early. He was pure white which I have since learned meant that he was a male. I stood quietly watching him. He returned my stare and then perhaps sensing something was different in the timing of our encounter slowly took off and headed away from. I watched him gracefully fly away and a thought accured to me. I wondered if my ancestors thousands of years ago would have had a similar encounter and if it gave them the comfort it gave me. I would like to think so.
I mentioned earlier that I believed I had heard and seen a snowy owl in a row of trees as I would take my evening walk. I would hear him and then see a dark figure fly away in search of another tree in which to alight in. Last night I started my walk earlier than normal in hopes of getting a better glimpse of him. Sure enough he was perched in the same group of trees. He did not seem startled when I showed up early. He was pure white which I have since learned meant that he was a male. I stood quietly watching him. He returned my stare and then perhaps sensing something was different in the timing of our encounter slowly took off and headed away from. I watched him gracefully fly away and a thought accured to me. I wondered if my ancestors thousands of years ago would have had a similar encounter and if it gave them the comfort it gave me. I would like to think so.
Top Rated Snow Blowers
Well I am sorry to say I haven't needed the services of a top rated snow blower so far this year. Here in the midwest where I live so far snow has been in short supply which really irritates me. Living in the midwest I would like to see some snow at least occasionally but so far we have had little of the white stuff. Oh sure I would start to complain if we get to much of it or if it would start to interfere with my winter driving but I do like snow and would like to see more of it. I never have jumped on the global warming bandwagon so I don't blame our lack of snow on that but we have been a little on the skimpy side as far as snow is concerned and would like to see a little more. We were not even blessed with a white Christmas although in following the news at all I realize if the only thing I have to complain about on Christmas day is the lack of snow than I must have it pretty good.
I am getting a little off topic here which is not unusual for me. I started this blog entry with the intent to talk about the top rated snow blowers and as far as I am concerned you can't beat the Craftsman 8899. If you Google "Craftsman 8899" you will find a ton of business's and people willing to sell you one for around $1000. The Craftsman 8899 will handle most residential jobs as well as some small commercial ones. Another good top rated snow blower I have heard of although I have no experience with is the Toro 828 LXE although in my opinion it is a little pricey at roughly $1600.
Toro does offer some less glamorous options when it comes to snow removal and might be in the price range of most people especially in these tough economic times. Toro has something they call a "power shovel" that will help you clear a sidewalk or small driveway if the snow is not to heavy. Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025
You still have to do most of the work but with a price tag of around $300 it might just be what most people need.
It's about time to put this post to bed. I do enjoy blogging and hope you find something interesting in what I write. I know there are a number of blogs I follow that I sure do enjoy. I think my next blog entry will be about the owl I hear when ever I take my evening walk. I am pretty sure it is a snow owl but I need to do some checking.
If is's snow you want I hope you are getting your share of it and if you are getting more than your fair share of snow do a google search for "top rated snow blowers" and make your winter snow removal a little less taxing.
I am getting a little off topic here which is not unusual for me. I started this blog entry with the intent to talk about the top rated snow blowers and as far as I am concerned you can't beat the Craftsman 8899. If you Google "Craftsman 8899" you will find a ton of business's and people willing to sell you one for around $1000. The Craftsman 8899 will handle most residential jobs as well as some small commercial ones. Another good top rated snow blower I have heard of although I have no experience with is the Toro 828 LXE although in my opinion it is a little pricey at roughly $1600.
Toro does offer some less glamorous options when it comes to snow removal and might be in the price range of most people especially in these tough economic times. Toro has something they call a "power shovel" that will help you clear a sidewalk or small driveway if the snow is not to heavy. Toro 1800 18-Inch 12 Amp Electric Curve Snow Thrower #38025
You still have to do most of the work but with a price tag of around $300 it might just be what most people need.
It's about time to put this post to bed. I do enjoy blogging and hope you find something interesting in what I write. I know there are a number of blogs I follow that I sure do enjoy. I think my next blog entry will be about the owl I hear when ever I take my evening walk. I am pretty sure it is a snow owl but I need to do some checking.
If is's snow you want I hope you are getting your share of it and if you are getting more than your fair share of snow do a google search for "top rated snow blowers" and make your winter snow removal a little less taxing.
Thursday
Winter Weather Predictions For 2009
So what are the experts predicting as far as a winter weather predictions for the upcoming year. I don't know what they have predicted so far but what I have managed from the few times I have caught the weather the northern part of the United States got hammered with some pretty significant snow. I see where Las Vegas even received an unusually heavy amount of snow. Does it even snow there at all? I usually don't look to far ahead as far as the weather is concerned because I find many times the weather is just plain wrong or is far enough off on their predictions that it doesn't really matter what they are forecasting. I do try to pick up a copy of the Farmers Almanac although I usually do that more for the other interesting things I find in there than for their actual weather predictions.
So checking the National Weather Services long range forecast (December-February) they seem to believe that after a rough start to the winter season things should start to calm down and it should be a pretty normal year weather wise. So if you are used to snow and cold that is probably what you will get. That means for my area here in the Midwest we should see about a foot of snow if everything holds to it's normal pattern. I've lived long enough to know that with winter weather predictions and predictions about anything as far as that goes they can be very wrong.
The National Weather Service did make special mention of the fact that areas that have been drier than normal the last five years will probably not see any relief this winter in the form of above average precipitation. Makes you wonder sometimes about the things we take for granted here in the United States such as water, an abundance of food and electricity. I know some areas of the country are right now experiencing power outages. We went through that last year for about eight days. Fortunately for us we had purchased a generator years ago and used it for the first time during that period. Seemed like a waste of money at the time but it did turn out to be a life saver.
Oh well whatever winter weather predictions the expert have come out with I plan to make the most of this winter and enjoy it like I do any other season. So here's to cold temperatures and long evenings in doors. Without them we would no appreciate spring and all it has to offer. Some of my earlier post have mentioned things to do to help get through the winter months. Take advantage of them and enjoy yourself. Whether you winter is filled with mountains of snow or hardly a skiff of the white stuff be careful when driving. If need get yourself a good set of snow tires. In the midwest where I live whenever I need tires Manhattan KS tire dealers are friendly, courteous and always willing to help me find just what I need.
So checking the National Weather Services long range forecast (December-February) they seem to believe that after a rough start to the winter season things should start to calm down and it should be a pretty normal year weather wise. So if you are used to snow and cold that is probably what you will get. That means for my area here in the Midwest we should see about a foot of snow if everything holds to it's normal pattern. I've lived long enough to know that with winter weather predictions and predictions about anything as far as that goes they can be very wrong.
The National Weather Service did make special mention of the fact that areas that have been drier than normal the last five years will probably not see any relief this winter in the form of above average precipitation. Makes you wonder sometimes about the things we take for granted here in the United States such as water, an abundance of food and electricity. I know some areas of the country are right now experiencing power outages. We went through that last year for about eight days. Fortunately for us we had purchased a generator years ago and used it for the first time during that period. Seemed like a waste of money at the time but it did turn out to be a life saver.
Oh well whatever winter weather predictions the expert have come out with I plan to make the most of this winter and enjoy it like I do any other season. So here's to cold temperatures and long evenings in doors. Without them we would no appreciate spring and all it has to offer. Some of my earlier post have mentioned things to do to help get through the winter months. Take advantage of them and enjoy yourself. Whether you winter is filled with mountains of snow or hardly a skiff of the white stuff be careful when driving. If need get yourself a good set of snow tires. In the midwest where I live whenever I need tires Manhattan KS tire dealers are friendly, courteous and always willing to help me find just what I need.
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