Despite the mildness of the last few days in some regions, winter is slowly arriving in all parts of France and the sun is setting earlier and earlier.
Consequence: sometimes “a little sadness” arises, as stated by Professor Pierre Philippe, head of the university department of sleep medicine at the University Hospital of Bordeaux, researcher at the CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research) and author ofAntidepression published by Albin Michelet.
Sport, food and sleep as weapons against the blues
“In winter the conditions are more difficult. Social contacts are more limited because going out is complicated. There is a whole environment that also greatly influences the mood,” he explains.
Nothing alarming for Pierre Philippe: “the important message is to say that we have the right to slow down. It is normal and you will go back up. On the other hand, be careful (…) self-assessment is very important. The researcher points out the harmful role of social networks “where they say you have to be top 365 days”.
The professor points out that “seasonal depression is not necessarily a good term.” “In fact, our mood fluctuates throughout the year. Spring, which is a priori At the moment (…) when everything is going well, that is when there is a higher suicide rate,” says Pierre Philippe.
For him, there are three pillars to rely on to get through the winter as well as possible: physical activity, food and sleep.
“As for physical activity, there is a very interesting phenomenon. Very short periods, that is, five minutes a day, will have an antidepressant effect. The resumption of very moderate physical activity, that is fine, it has a therapeutic effect and not only preventative,” he explains.
Regarding sleep, the professor highlights the importance of “regularity”, favoring the same time to get up during the week and on the weekend. “We have shown that it is an important element in the prevention of mood disorders,” explains the professor.
Even if sports activity, good nutrition and regular sleep can help, depression can still rear its ugly head and respond to “coded symptoms.” “The first point that we all know is the loss of sleep. If you start to lose sleep, there is a well-identified risk factor. The second big element is anxiety. The third element is the confusion between drowsiness, fatigue and depression,” lists Pierre Philippe.
The teacher still wants to reassure him. “The good news is that we have more and more therapeutic weapons to cure it. And above all, there is a very large percentage of people who have behaviors that can be improved,” such as a sedentary lifestyle, sleep irregularity or high alcohol consumption. .
Regarding taking medications, Pierre Philippe points out “that if they are not accompanied by psychotherapy or awareness of those around them, they will work, but with a relatively moderate effect”, hence the importance “of having an integrative vision of mental health “. “
Source: BFM TV
