Inuvik (Dec 19/03) - As long nights become a fixture in Inuvik, some of us may be experiencing the "winter blues" or, what is known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

For centuries, poets have mined this sense of sadness and lethargy that seems to accompany the shortening days of winter, while the rest of us, well, we just get on with life.

Nevertheless, the American Psychiatric Association has recognized SAD as a legitimate mental affliction and classifies the disorder as an "atypical depression" that occurs in a seasonal pattern for some individuals.

Symptoms include a change in appetite -- especially a craving for sweet and starchy foods -- weight gain, a heavy feeling in the arms and legs, a drop in energy levels, fatigue, oversleeping, irritability, increased sensitivity to social rejection and an avoidance of social situations.

It is estimated that between 10 and 20 per cent of the population experience mild forms of SAD and another six per cent suffer from severe seasonal depression, which makes day-to-day functioning problematic.

Inuvik hospital's Dr. Mike Mulhern describes the problems of those suffering from SAD as not altogether quantifiable causing the disorder to be largely unrecognized and grossly under diagnosed.

"I don't say this to alarm people but like any pathology the issue is how (SAD) affects an individual and it's different for everybody," he said.

Dr. Mulhern adds that if one suspects the lack of daylight is getting them down, early personal intervention, such as setting oneself a schedule, maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly can mitigate the affects of SAD.

In 1984, Georgetown University researcher Dr. Norman Rosenthal was part of a group that first coined the term "seasonal affective disorder" and Rosenthal was a pioneer in investigating the usage of full-spectrum "light-therapy" to treat his SAD patients.

The science behind exposing oneself to bright light is the resulting production of serotonin, known as the "feel good" hormone, in the brain.

If you have ever experienced the feeling of elation after seeing the sunrise, most likely this sensation is caused by an increase of serotonin secreted by the pineal gland that registers light in your brain.

Often referred to as natural Prozac, serotonin is the neurotransmitter pharmacologists have succeeded in manipulating with wonder drugs such as Paxil and Zoloft.

However, before you go rushing off to get a prescription for your SAD, consider some of the alternatives.

Dealing with SAD

In addition to eating right, exercising and keeping a schedule to avoid activities such as oversleeping, Dr. Mulhern suggests visiting a tanning salon to increase the amount of light one can generally expect to be exposed to in the winter months.

And while exposure to bright light increases serotonin production, it also suppresses the pineal gland's secretion of melatonin, which is associated with depression and lack of energy.

Since the mid-thirties, studies of negative ion exposure on animals have been conducted and produced results indicating a correlation between exposure to high levels of negative ions and an increase in energy and cognitive functioning.

Further studies on humans in the late 70s and early 80s provided similar results, leading researchers to believe that negative ions had a similar effect on serotonin levels, as do light and drugs.

Ions are charged particles in the air that are formed in nature when enough energy acts upon a molecule such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, water or nitrogen to eject an electron from the molecule, leaving a positively charged ion.

The displaced electron then attaches itself to a nearby molecule, which becomes a negatively charged ion.

Science-speak aside, the normal ion content in fresh country air is between 2,000 to 4,000 ions per cubic centimetre.

At the base of a waterfall or on the top of a mountain, the count can be much greater averaging 100,000 per cubic centimetre giving an entirely different spin to John Denver's Rocky Mountain High.

Interestingly, pollution, computer and television screens, and dry winds create conditions in which positive ions thrive while compromising the amount of negative ions.

For example, the air quality on a jammed Los Angeles freeway during rush-hour pegs the negative ion count at less than 100 per cubic centimetre.

So, if you are feeling blue this winter and think you may be suffering from SAD, there are a number of natural remedies available.

If you can afford it, a negative ion generator may be the answer. A slightly cheaper option may be to buy some time at the tanning bed.

Or, you could turn off the television -- a generator of positive ions -- and sit under a bright lamp with a good book. It will be good for your brain in more ways than one.