Joe and winter sun
I got to know Joe pretty well. I inherited him from a partner who retired, and my first duty for Joe revolved around him coming in depressed, counseling him, putting him on antidepressants, and monitoring him for a few months. Then he was much better and stopped his medication, but did fine.
A year went by, and this scenario played out again. Both episodes were in Seattle, both before the entity known as “seasonal affective disorder” had been clarified or tied to sunlight.
Then one late winter day Joe was in for a pre-retirement complete physical. “Doc, I’m retiring in a couple months, and I’m gonna leave the Seattle area. I’m moving to Bend, Oregon. I went there for two weeks at Christmas and felt so good I stopped taking those damn antidepressants, but I felt worse at home and had to start them up again. I’m sick of feeling bummed out every winter, so I’m moving to Bend. It’s beautiful there!
Joe’s daughter was also my patient. After all, it’s called family practice for a reason! She came in once a year for a routine checkup. “How’s your Dad doing in Bend?” “Great! He loves it there! He doesn’t need those pills in the winter since he retired!”
Was Joe better because he retired?
Was it less stress?
Was it the beauty and fun of Bend?
Yes, but also….
Here’s the biological view: Seasonal Affective Disorder, AKA the Winter Blues, is rampant in Seattle, a town with 50 sunny days/year. In February one seldom sees The Mountain (Rainier) nor the sun! SAD affects 10% of Seattle residents, according to surveys. I’m glad I’m not one of them! There’s a reason why Alaska Airlines has direct connections to three Hawaiian Islands from Anchorage, Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco. Some cross the Cascades to sun in Eastern Washington, as well as Bend, Oregon. Some go to Arizona, or take trips to Reno or Las Vegas, Mexico, or San Diego. Today we know that a 10000 Lux light box next to your computer for 20 or 30 minutes every morning is about as good as taking antidepressants, and can greatly improve your mood. You see, sunlight affects the pineal gland, which secretes melatonin in the absence of much sunlight, which is not only a mildly effective sleeping medication, but a neural inducer of depression, when it comes from lack of sunlight at least. And, a reason I won’t use it for sleep….
So was Joe better because Bend Oregon has 300 sunny days per year? The 90% of us without SAD probably have all kinds of opinions. To those with SAD, it’s pretty obvious. Retirement, less stress, beautiful location, sure. But don’t forget biology!
Then there’s this: One day I was accompanying my ex-wife shopping at Costco and she spotted and considered buying “Happy Lights.” I knew of a Montreal website selling 10000 Lux lights for $200. But these had the same strength for $40!! I stuck them in the bottom of the cart, and at checkout made sure she never saw them. At home, I assembled and installed them next to her basement office computer, then showed her the beam of light streaming out of her home office.
“Did you buy those for ME?!” Yup, earned a couple of points for that. And observed a less moody spouse, at least for the winter months when I could see a difference, even if she didn’t. Later the marriage ended, but that’s a story for another day, and probably not for publication!