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666921 tn?1254990618

S.A.D.

Hi, I am new here, I was wondering if there are any natural supplements that might help with 'seasonal affective disorder' - that can be taken whilst taking anti-depressants.

Thankyou.
7 Responses
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1097839 tn?1344579942
yeh! this is a great suggestion - pranayama is brilliant!!! it sounds so weird but it is powerful stuff!!
Helpful - 0
180749 tn?1443595232
Dec 05, 2010
Help your body to feel better, with this pranayam. The extra oxygen going into the left and right brain will help very much.Do it for 20 minutes, twice a day, until you feel the the benefit, and then do it for 15 minutes daily.
Build up your timing gradually.If you feel tired or dizzy, stop and resume after one minute.
Anulom Vilom pranayam –
Close your right nostril with thumb and deep breath-in through left nostril  
then – close left nostril with two fingers and breath-out through right nostril  
then -keeping the left nostril closed  deep breath-in through right nostril
then - close your right nostril with thumb and breath-out through left nostril.
This is one cycle of anulom vilom.
Repeat this cycle for 15 to 30  minutes twice a day.
Children under 15 years – do 5 to 10 minutes twice a day.
You can do this before breakfast/lunch/dinner or before bedtime or in bed.Remember to take deep long breaths into the lungs.You can do this while sitting on floor or chair or lying in bed.
Helpful - 0
1097839 tn?1344579942
hi there

why not try a SAD light, I've heard they can be really effective and you can usually try one for a month before you decide if you want to keep it. People that it works for apparently feel an improvement within days. Might be worth a try!

I''m a big believer in trying solutios other than pills. lots of things other than what we put in our mouths can affect our physical and mental health.

for the record, I tried a light for fatigue and it didn't work for me but then I don't have SAD I have an underactive thyroid.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The only thing about melatonin is it's dosed differently for SAD than for sleep.  I think you take it through the day instead of just a half hour before sleep, but I'm not sure about that.  But as Gym said, it's widely available and not very expensive, and lower doses usually work better than higher.  I'd think a milligram or two would be a good dose, but you'll have to research its use for SAD to get the test of it right.  Good luck.
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Avatar universal
No you can buy it at any health food shop and drug stores
Helpful - 0
666921 tn?1254990618
Thankyou for the reply - would 'melatonin' be priscription only?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
This is, at least biologically, regulated by a substance in the body called melatonin, which sets the body's internal clock.  If you're taking ssris, they're theoretically elevating melatonin, as serotonin produces melatonin, but not very efficiently as they're only targeting certain receptors and turning off others.  Therefore, supplementing with melatonin might be helpful -- and also might have been all you needed in the first place, but also maybe not.  
Helpful - 0
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