With the onset of a new season, seasonal illness is a common occurrence, affecting people of all ages, young and old, across geographies! Seasonal change brings depression among people too! Surprised? Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is associated with seasonal change depression that occurs at the onset of different seasons, though its prevalence is most common in the winter season. The symptoms of SAD include a fall in energy levels which makes you feel moody with sudden spikes of happiness, irritation, and frustration.
The prevalence of Seasonal illness is more common in late fall or early winter which goes away in the sunny months of summer and spring. With exceptions, people fall ill with seasonal illness with on the onset of summer and spring seasons. In either of the cases, the seasonal change effect initially starts mild and grows as the season progresses.
With the change in seasons, the environment and surroundings around us change as well. These changes bring infectious ailments that occur due to variations in temperature, humidity, physical inactivity and so on. The ailments which are common as seasons change are described in the next section.
Seasonal Variations and Ailments
Are all these ailments specific to certain seasons? Ever wondered why does one get cold and cough in winter? Here is a list of season-specific diseases according to seasons-
| Summer | Weight decreaseTuberculosisDiarrhoeaInfectious diseases transmitted by mosquitoes Dengue, Malaria, etcConjunctivitisSunburn, and other types of Skin irritation from Dehydration |
| Winter | Psychiatric disordersWeight increase blood pressure Respiratory diseases- Pneumonia and BronchitisThe concentration of cholesterol in the blood Infectious diseases like InfluenzaCold, Cough |
| Spring | Coronary disease Asthma and Increase respiratory irritations |
| Autumn | Coronary disease |
| Monsoon | Dengue and the Haemorrhagic and MalariaFungal infections, Allergy or Dryness |
Most of the seasonal diseases occur to all age groups, however, the small age group of babies and the old age group of senior citizens are especially vulnerable to these seasonal changes. The symptoms of Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) include-
- A feeling of depression most of the day
- Changes in appetite or weight with a sluggish or agitated mindset
- Losing interest in activities which was once engaging
- Having low energy and problems with sleeping
- Difficulty to concentrate with a hopeless, worthless or guilty feeling
The Seasonal Affective disorder is also characterized to Winter depression, and Summer depression which may include:
Winter Depression
- Oversleeping
- Changes in the appetite resulting in carving for foods which are high in carbohydrates
- Weight gain and low energy levels
Summer depression
- Insomnia resulting in troubled sleep
- Poor appetite causing Weight loss
- Agitation or anxiety resulting in Frustration
Curing Seasonal Illness
The cure for seasonal illness is not only limited to taking antibiotics. Self-medication, in this case, is not always helpful. These are the Do It Yourself (DIY) initiatives which work wonders on Seasonal sickness-
- Getting as much as natural sunlight as possible. In the harsh cold winters, try to walk in the sun after lunch.
- Friendly environments at home and work-place are helpful such as light and airy desks and rooms.
- Regular exercising particularly outdoors in the daylight cures those blues.
- Eating a balanced diet with the regular intake of vitamins that contain magnesium, B complex, and minerals are helpful.
- Decrease the screen time spent on watching the screens of the TV, phone, Laptop and diverting that time into healthy habits like walking, exercising, etc.
- The elimination of caffeine, which means decreasing the intake of coffee, coke, chocolates.
- Decreasing the intake of vitamins and minerals supplements which may prove fatal and can cause blood pressure, hypertension in the long run
- Regular Check-up is a vital component to cure the Seasonal Blues
Wellness and Regular Check-ups
For the well-being of oneself, it is imperative to follow healthy practices which include a balanced diet, keeping a track of one’s vitals, and managing the health history. Gigadocs is an intelligent platform which helps you track your vitals and allows you to share the same with your doctor on a real-time basis, with Gigadocs you can-
- Fix a consultation with your favorite doctor at a time convenient to you on the Gigadocs app.
- Get regular health check-ups done at the onset of every season to prevent seasonal illness.
- Maintain your health and manage the healthcare of your family though digital recordkeeping.
- Never miss any follow-up appointments, as the Gigadocs app will notify you with the timings and details of the same.
In a crux, it is important to maintain your health on different seasonal onsets, and Gigadocs helps you book custom doctor appointments, track appointments, managing your entire family’s health medical records with vitals in one go!
To know more e-mail, at info@gigadocs.com.
