Kratom can improve your quality of life with a variety of conditions. So, if during certain times of the year, Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD impacts you, you may be looking for means of alleviating it.
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What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?
Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a form of depression that occurs due to the changes in seasons and affects roughly 4-6% of the US population. Therefore, SAD always begins and ends at the relatively same time of the year.
If you tend to suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, you’ll start experiencing its symptoms when the weather gets colder and the days become considerably shorter and darker, usually in late fall or early winter. They last during the winter months and go away when the weather gets warmer and sunnier, in spring or even early summer.
In most people, SAD occurs due to limited sunshine. This can affect the circadian rhythm and cause serotonin levels to drop. Serotonin is a brain chemical linked to happiness and wellbeing, whereas low levels of it can lead to depression.
Yet, not all people suffer from SAD in the winter. Some suffer from summer depression or summertime SAD. It’s a reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder that about 10% of those who experience SAD have. Experts indicate that people living closer to the equator are more prone to experiencing summertime SAD.
While causes are unclear, it’s believed that longer days can lead to disrupted melanin levels, heat and increased humidity can make us feel worse. In addition to that, school holidays and more active duties at home, body image issues, and financial burdens due to holidays can lead to people feeling depressed.
SAD Symptoms
It’s common for the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder to vary in intensity. They can be mild at first and become more intense as the season progresses. The most common SAD symptoms are:
- Feelings of depression throughout the day, almost every day,
- Low energy and motivation,
- Difficulty focusing,
- Sleeping issues,
- Changes in weight and appetite,
- Sluggish or agitated feelings,
- Anxiety,
- Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness, or guilt,
- Loss of interest in any of the activities that used to bring pleasure and excitement,
- More frequent death or suicide thoughts.
Common SAD Treatment Methods
Common SAD treatments include medication, such as antidepressants, and psychotherapy which involves therapy.
An alternative Seasonal Affective Disorder treatment method is phototherapy. Phototherapy or light therapy involves working or simply spending time next to a device known as a light therapy box. For certain individuals, this approach is much more effective than a combination of counseling and medication.
What Is Kratom?
Kratom is a tall tropical tree from Southeast Asia that can have stimulating, relaxing, and pain-relieving properties, among many others. Kratom trees can have red vein, white vein, and green vein leaves, each of which has different alkaloid properties and effects.
Several million Americans take kratom to relieve chronic pain, overcome opioid or prescription medication addiction, improve their mood, focus better, reduce stress and anxiety, and a lot more.
Can Kratom Relieve Seasonal Affective Disorder?
While kratom will not treat Seasonal Affective Disorder, it can definitely alleviate the symptoms that you may be experiencing.
Kratom has numerous beneficial properties that can help you have more energy, improve your mood and ability to concentrate and stay productive despite the lack of energy and motivation. Kratom can also relieve stress and anxiety that may come with SAD.
Keep in mind that a combination of various alternative treatment methods may be beneficial. Therefore, consider experimenting with light therapy and counseling as well.
Best Type of Kratom for Seasonal Affective Disorder
Green Vein Kratom
For people struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder, green vein kratom strains may be the most suitable option. Greens offer a balanced mix of stimulating and soothing effects. Therefore, you can expect to feel a boost in energy, mood, motivation, and productivity, and improved focus.
Green vein kratom can also alleviate stress and anxiety, leading to a calm and steady focus. Along with an improved mood, this can help you get through the day as well as perform tasks that may not be as pleasurable.
Providing an increased dose of energy throughout the first half of the day, green vein kratom can help you feel tired and ready to go to bed in the evening. This way, it can help you maintain healthy sleep cycles.
Green Maeng Da and Green Malay Kratom are two popular strains among those who are looking for a boost in mood, energy, productivity, and general well-being.
White Vein Kratom
White vein kratom is more stimulating and has more potent mood-boosting properties. Nonetheless, new and experienced kratom users frequently find white strains to be a bit too much for them.
People may also feel agitated after white vein strains. So, if they suffer from anxiety and stress in addition to seasonal affective disorder, they may feel worse after taking white vein kratom.
This, however, does not necessarily mean that you should not try white vein kratom. The chances are that it may help you. Start with a threshold dose and see how you feel.
If you’d like to try whites, White Borneo, White Maeng Da, White Kali, and White Horn kratom can be great options.
Because of this, you may want to get a few kratom samples or a smaller amount of kratom to see which strains. If you’d like to do that, our top recommended kratom vendor offers kratom samples. You can get two 10-gram kratom samples that are free, though you need to cover shipping costs. Regardless of that, it’s a beneficial way of trying out a few strains and seeing what makes you feel better.
Do you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder? What have you done to alleviate it? Have you tried kratom? If so, which strains have been the most helpful?
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