Friday, February 18, 2011

Why Does This Happen?

Experts believe that seasonal depression is triggered by the decrease of daylight. Nobody knows for sure why this happens, but scientists theorize that sunlight may play a role in making some of the brains hormones. With less sunlight less of one hormone is made and more of another so those hormones are unbalanced, (which is a lot like bipolar disorder itself.) The decreased hormone is called serotonin and the increased hormone is called melatonin. Melatonin is what the body produces when it’s dark to make you sleepy so if it’s darker longer then it makes more melatonin which is what makes you have a lack of energy, sleepy and moody. (Bonus points for anyone who can name the other 5 of the 7 dwarfs) All these variables combined is what makes a higher risk of depression.

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