1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: It's night Side with Dan Ray on WBS Boston's news radio. 2 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 2: A little over a week ago, I had joining me 3 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 2: a psychiatrist from the Tofts Medical Center talking about seasonal 4 00:00:15,120 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 2: effective disorder. And since we have now gone through the 5 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 2: not the change in seasons, but uh, the the change 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,479 Speaker 2: in darkness at night, we gained an hour's worth of 7 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 2: sleep Saturday evening into Sunday morning, and all of us, 8 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,239 Speaker 2: I'm sure felt much better about Sunday morning waking up 9 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 2: at a dark heck of a lot earlier with us again, 10 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 2: and I appreciate her time as doctor Vasha radak Krishnan Uh, 11 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 2: doctor Roda Christian. If I'm not doing your name correctly, 12 00:00:51,520 --> 00:00:54,639 Speaker 2: please feel free to help me because it is a 13 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 2: long name and uh and I have a short name 14 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 2: spelled r e A. But I I can't tell you 15 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 2: how many times my last name was mispronounced at various 16 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 2: points in my life, and it always like Rhea. No, 17 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:12,919 Speaker 2: it's Ray, It's just Ray. So I try my best, 18 00:01:12,959 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 2: but but I apologize if I don't get it right 19 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:17,279 Speaker 2: in advance. How are you tonight? 20 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 3: I'm doing great and you you got it. It's it's 21 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:23,120 Speaker 3: Varsha Rada Christian and so you you got it perfectly. 22 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 3: But it's great to great to be here. Thanks for 23 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:27,640 Speaker 3: for having me again. 24 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 2: So daylight savings time ended, and now we are experiencing 25 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:39,720 Speaker 2: the same amount of daylight, but a different time during 26 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 2: the day. We gained we gained some daylight in the morning, 27 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 2: but we lost it in the afternoon. Is that an 28 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 2: accurate description of what happened to us on Sunday? 29 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 3: I definitely think so. I think. Well, for one, I mean, 30 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 3: our bodies are are used to change in acting, but 31 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 3: I mean, I can tell you, for one, I'm definitely 32 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 3: feeling the change as we're entering, you know, into winter 33 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 3: and things are getting colder, darker. So it's definitely a big, 34 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 3: a big change that you know, we're we're going to 35 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 3: be seeing. 36 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 2: But what I'm saying is the amount of sunlight from 37 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 2: yesterday to today only was reduced by about a minute 38 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 2: or so every day the amount of sunlight that and 39 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 2: the sunlight doesn't change, it's just when we see the. 40 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:39,079 Speaker 3: Sun correct, correct, It's okay. 41 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 2: So it's not like all of a sudden we went 42 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 2: from you know, ten hours of sunlight to dine the 43 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:52,920 Speaker 2: amount of sidelight. That's psychologically it has this impact because 44 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 2: when we're used to seeing the late summer nights when 45 00:02:57,320 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 2: the sun doesn't set until eight thirty at our laddice 46 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,639 Speaker 2: tud uh And now it's slowly you know, chopped off 47 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 2: at two or three minutes every night or so or 48 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 2: every day and then on on Sunday afternoon, it was like, 49 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 2: whoa with the sun go. If this affects people, this 50 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:19,359 Speaker 2: the seasonal effective disorder, that's that's not just in their heads. 51 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 2: That's so that if I'm wrong, please correct me, because 52 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 2: you're the doctor. I'm assuming that's a real change that 53 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 2: people some people have trouble coping with. 54 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 3: Absolutely, and and especially with seasonal effective disorder. It's it's 55 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 3: a type of disorder that we tend to see occurring, 56 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 3: especially with bigger weather changes. It's not necessarily something that 57 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 3: we might experience or see within say a day or 58 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 3: two of the weather changing. I know, I believe last 59 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 3: time we had also talked about how was different just 60 00:03:56,040 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 3: depending on on you know, our bodies are adapted to stress, 61 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 3: you know, other aspects that could also be influencing mood. 62 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 3: All of our you know, responses can change the timelines 63 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 3: with which we might experience you know, changes in mood 64 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 3: can also be different. So for some folks it might 65 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 3: be you know, a couple of days and starting to 66 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 3: see that that shift in sleep wake cycle, even just 67 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 3: by an hour or two, can be really dramatic, whereas 68 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 3: for others it might take a few weeks to start 69 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 3: feeling those effects. 70 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 2: When did the medical community first begin to understand? And again, 71 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:36,919 Speaker 2: I associate this a lot with what happened on the 72 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,599 Speaker 2: weekend and uh, the the change of the clock. But 73 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 2: I know that that you're telling me there's more factors 74 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:46,599 Speaker 2: to this, and we want to explore some of those. 75 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:51,920 Speaker 2: But when did the either the psych u psych psychology, 76 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 2: psychological community or the medical community. You are, you have 77 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 2: degrees in psychology and medicine as a psychiatrist, and people 78 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:04,280 Speaker 2: need to underst stand the difference between psychologists and psychiatrists. 79 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 2: You you have under you understand from a from a 80 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:14,719 Speaker 2: medicine point of view. You're a doctor, a doctor of medicine, 81 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 2: and you're also a doctor of psychology to become a 82 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 2: doctor of PS psych psychiatry, so you understand the interactions, 83 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 2: which is why why I'm so appreciative of talking with 84 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 2: you about this. But when did the medical community first say, hey, 85 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 2: there may be something to this seasonal effective disorder. That's 86 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:37,559 Speaker 2: that's real. 87 00:05:39,400 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 3: So I believe actually the term itself was coined in 88 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:49,720 Speaker 3: the eighties, and it was initially coined to describe that phenomenon. 89 00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 3: It's been around for forever. But I think even just 90 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 3: thinking about how psychiatry and mental health is really relatively 91 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 3: a newer, younger, few old within much of medicine, and 92 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 3: partly it's, you know, big part of that is because 93 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 3: we don't we still don't fully understand all of these illnesses, 94 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 3: the symptoms, what causes them. We're still you know, just 95 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 3: scratching the surface. But the term itself was coined, I believe, 96 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:21,919 Speaker 3: in the eighties, and then the definitions and ways in 97 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 3: which that you know, we define seasonal effective disorder depression 98 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 3: have slowly shifted and changed over time, but generally the 99 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 3: actual term was coined around then. 100 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,799 Speaker 2: Well, I know that the acronym for seasonal effective disorder 101 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:42,720 Speaker 2: ironically is SAD. The words sad, and clearly people who 102 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:48,080 Speaker 2: are depressed, non professionals will look at them and say, gee, 103 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 2: they're just sad, but it's it's much more than sad. 104 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 2: I first understood this, believe it or not. The former 105 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 2: first Lady of Massachusetts, Kitty Tocaccus, suffered from this greatly, 106 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 2: and her husband, former governor and presidential candidate, Mike Docaccus, 107 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 2: who I knew really well. You would explain to me 108 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:16,800 Speaker 2: the depression that she would go through at this time 109 00:07:16,800 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 2: of hear and she spoke about it publicly. I'm not, 110 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 2: you know, in any way, shape or form compromising U 111 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 2: any privileged conversations I had with either of them, But 112 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 2: Kitty Tocaccus was very brave about this, and and she 113 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 2: would she would speak about it publicly. What percentage of 114 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 2: Americans either realize they have this or are their projections 115 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 2: as to how many people are impacted this or is 116 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 2: it one of those spectrum diseases where everybody for maybe 117 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 2: a couple of days habit and then they kind of 118 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 2: get back to where they were, But there are some 119 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 2: people who can't get back to where they are. If 120 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 2: when I refer to it as spectrum disease, I'm sure 121 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 2: you know what I'm trying to. 122 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 3: Present you absolutely, And I'm glad you said the word spectrum, 123 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 3: because it truly is such a wide range of the 124 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 3: types of symptoms. We can see the severity generally Generally speaking, 125 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 3: the approximately approximately five percent of the US population suffers 126 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 3: from seasonal effective disorder, and that's just really more of 127 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 3: a rough estimate. I think the reality is, it's it's 128 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 3: likely that we see more folks that are somewhere either, 129 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 3: you know, in between. So I'd say, folks that maybe 130 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 3: don't know that they have seasonal effective symptoms, Folks who 131 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 3: may feel down depressed for certain periods of time. But 132 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 3: it's it may be time limited for a couple of 133 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:51,840 Speaker 3: weeks initially when the season is changing itself, but some 134 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 3: estimates have even indicated that just mood changes in general 135 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 3: during this period of time can affect even up to 136 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:00,320 Speaker 3: a fifth of the popular. 137 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 2: Now, is there a corollary recovery when spring comes and 138 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 2: all of a sudden we lose an hour of sleep 139 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:14,120 Speaker 2: one Saturday night Sunday morning, and the next night, instead 140 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,720 Speaker 2: of the sun you know, setting it six point fifteen, 141 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 2: my goodness, the sun stays up until seven fifteen, And 142 00:09:21,320 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 2: all of a sudden, our bodies know and our minds 143 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:26,200 Speaker 2: know that we are now on the end of the 144 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:30,319 Speaker 2: winter cycle, and summer is before us, and the days 145 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 2: are going to get longer for quite a while. There 146 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 2: is there any sort of you know, you have a 147 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 2: downer in November, but in late March you have an 148 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 2: equivalent up mood swing or is there no such thing 149 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,120 Speaker 2: as that up mood swing at the when winter is 150 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:52,120 Speaker 2: sort of dissipating. 151 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 4: Well, it's a good. 152 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 3: Question, I think. I think it depends on how we 153 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 3: also define it. I think there's the nat excitement itself 154 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 3: of Okay, now we're finally you know, getting out of 155 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:06,680 Speaker 3: out of the winter months, and feels like we can 156 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 3: we have so much to look forward to, there's more 157 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 3: that we can do. We're, of course social creatures, so 158 00:10:11,320 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 3: there's naturally this uh, this feeling of being able to 159 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 3: now reconnect with people, join people outside. That's one one 160 00:10:20,480 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 3: factor for sure. But the actual hormonal changes that we 161 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 3: see with our biological with our clocks, right, our circadian 162 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 3: rhythms can can actually shift, and so what we might 163 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:35,080 Speaker 3: tend to see is changes in our sleep hormones, so 164 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:39,839 Speaker 3: melatonin production, which can shift over time depending on the 165 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 3: season that we're in. So that's really what I think. Individually, 166 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:47,599 Speaker 3: all of us have a different way in which we 167 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 3: might regulate melatonin, but that's one of the primary causes 168 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,600 Speaker 3: we believe or at least ideologies that might be driving 169 00:10:57,200 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 3: some of these seasonal changes. So it's very possible that 170 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 3: as your melatonin production shifts to maybe a little bit 171 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 3: later in spring and summer months, that you feel more 172 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:10,200 Speaker 3: awake during the day more and maybe that leads to 173 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:14,080 Speaker 3: a sense of calm or or leads to feeling maybe 174 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:15,199 Speaker 3: a little more energized. 175 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:17,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, so there there's a physical as well as a 176 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 2: psychological impact. What I want to do is we got 177 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 2: to have a quick break. I have a million questions, 178 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 2: but I'm sure my audience does as well, and i 179 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:30,640 Speaker 2: know that it's always I feel I'm imposing on those 180 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 2: in the medical field because you folks tend to be 181 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 2: the early risers. So I'm hoping that our listeners will 182 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 2: join us. They can ask questions. You can't diagnose over 183 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 2: the air know what we expect to, but they certainly 184 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 2: can explain maybe a little bit about how they're feeling 185 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:51,120 Speaker 2: at this point, and you can give them some suggestions 186 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 2: that might help them. So we'll see where the conversation 187 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:56,840 Speaker 2: takes us. This is the best part of the program 188 00:11:56,880 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 2: for me. Six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty 189 00:12:00,400 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 2: six one seven, nine, three one ten thirty feel free 190 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,839 Speaker 2: to join. As I've often said, there's really only there 191 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 2: were no dumb questions. The dumb questions are only the 192 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 2: ones that you don't have the courage to ask. I 193 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 2: found that out in law school many years ago, because 194 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 2: what the one that I didn't ask always was on 195 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 2: the exam. Uh So, if you are in h have 196 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:26,080 Speaker 2: any questions in this area. I'm so delighted that my 197 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,600 Speaker 2: guest has given us some time tonight. Again. I'm sure 198 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 2: it's getting past, but your bedtime is. I know what 199 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 2: time you folks head to work in the morning. I 200 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 2: can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Six one, seven, two, five, 201 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 2: four ten thirty six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. 202 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 2: I could ask questions all night long. I'm not gonna 203 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 2: do that. I rely on my calls. We'll be back 204 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 2: on night Side. 205 00:12:48,640 --> 00:12:53,320 Speaker 1: It's Night Side with Dan Ray on wb Boston's news radio. 206 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 2: All right, we're gonna go to phones. My first call 207 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 2: will come from Larry in Dennisport, down on the Cape. Larry, 208 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 2: welcome back to Night's Side. You were on with doctor 209 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 2: Varsha Rata Kushna. 210 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 5: Thanks for taking my call. I won't even try to 211 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 5: pronounce that name. 212 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 2: You call it, doctor Varsha, how's that? Okay? 213 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 5: Okay? So I was diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder years back. 214 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:34,439 Speaker 5: I've tried multiple antidepressants ect tms, nothing work. They finally 215 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 5: decided it's called treatment resistant depression. But it comes this 216 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,160 Speaker 5: time of year. But again it comes back in the spring. 217 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 5: And my therapist that I was seeing at the time 218 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,840 Speaker 5: also said it's a busy time for her because people 219 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 5: with seasonal affective disorder in the springtime, they're anticipating all 220 00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 5: this great weather. But you know how the expression goes 221 00:13:55,520 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 5: in Cape cod spring doesn't come till July and can 222 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 5: be very depressing. So if you took a poll, probably 223 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 5: eighty percent of the population would like to not change 224 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 5: the clocks. The argument that people have is should it 225 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 5: be daylight savings year round or daylight or standard time. 226 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,600 Speaker 5: The best discussion that I saw on this one is 227 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:22,440 Speaker 5: that if you look at a map, tape Cord As 228 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 5: compared to Florida, like Miami, is way out to sea. 229 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 5: So rather than taking this argument of which we should 230 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 5: be in, we should take at least Massachusetts and possibly 231 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 5: New England and move us out to Atlantic Standard Time, 232 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 5: which is basically daylight saving time, because what happens with 233 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 5: me is last week I had the worst week of 234 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 5: anxiety and depression. My mind was gearing up for the 235 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 5: time change. Saturday night, I got maybe two or three 236 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 5: hours of sleep. Takes me about two or three weeks 237 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 5: from my body to adjust. Once I get into the winter, 238 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 5: I seem to do a little bit better, and then 239 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 5: I start gearing up in the spring. So as far 240 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 5: as turning the class back, which do you think would 241 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 5: help better daylight savings time year round or standard time? 242 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:20,680 Speaker 3: That's a great question. First off, thank you so much 243 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 3: for sharing your experience. You know, I think it's very 244 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,760 Speaker 3: helpful for me to also hear you know what your 245 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 3: experience has been like, and it's it's incredibly difficult to 246 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 3: have to cope with this, and also to know that 247 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 3: these are symptoms that you suffer from every year. I 248 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:44,600 Speaker 3: certainly you know. I I wish I had a very 249 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 3: good answer for this, but I truthfully, I truthfully don't 250 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 3: have a great answer. I think in general, because one 251 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 3: of one of the factors is, of course, you know, 252 00:15:56,400 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 3: with daylight savings, we see, you know, if we kept 253 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 3: the same timing all throughout the year, that could be 254 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 3: one factor. But because we understand thee'sonal effective disorder as 255 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 3: being very multifactorial, so we think of both our own 256 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 3: genetic loading our predisposition. On one hand, we think of 257 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:22,720 Speaker 3: the environmental changes, the actual shift itself face shift that 258 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 3: we see with daylight savings and the change in the clock, 259 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:31,160 Speaker 3: so to speak, and we see changes in our natural 260 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 3: melatonin production. We might also see changes in the way 261 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 3: our body is being exposed to vitamin D. So there's 262 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 3: so many different factors that I think even if we 263 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 3: were to change, say the way in which we incorporate 264 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 3: daylight savings, I think there's still so many other pieces 265 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 3: that would still put us at risk for seasonal sexual depression. 266 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:58,560 Speaker 5: Okay, because I asked you just one more quick question, 267 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 5: because you want to hit on something that I've been 268 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 5: reading about. I've been having trouble sleeping. A lot of 269 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 5: that has to do with, as Dan knows, I'm going through. 270 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:11,479 Speaker 5: I have a lot of long COVID symptoms, and a 271 00:17:11,480 --> 00:17:14,919 Speaker 5: lot of what was helping was being outside doing my 272 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:17,800 Speaker 5: cold water therapy and the ocean and everything. But I've 273 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 5: been taking some melatonin gummies helped me sleep at night. 274 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 5: But I just read an article that now they're saying 275 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 5: long term use of melatonin can possibly affect your heart. 276 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 5: Have you heard anything about that? 277 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 3: So, I will say from the readings I've done regarding 278 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:41,640 Speaker 3: at least the literature that we have about melatonin, it's 279 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:47,679 Speaker 3: generally considered a very effective, safe medication, mainly because it's 280 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 3: a hormone that our bodies are naturally producing. I think 281 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:54,880 Speaker 3: the variability in some of these studies that we send 282 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 3: to see melatonin is actually not technically a regular FDA 283 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 3: regulated medication. So as a result, if you depending on 284 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 3: where you're purchasing malotonin from, there's so much variability and 285 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:12,439 Speaker 3: the concentration and amount that we might see. So I 286 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 3: would say the studies themselves, it's it's actually extremely difficult 287 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 3: to find a study that's consistent because of this reason. 288 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 3: So what you might purchase maybe from CBS would be 289 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:28,040 Speaker 3: possibly different in terms of the formulation and the medication 290 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:29,680 Speaker 3: at a different pharmacy. 291 00:18:30,760 --> 00:18:31,280 Speaker 5: Interest. 292 00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 3: But I appreciate I have not seen. 293 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:38,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, Larry, best best of luck. Hope you you get 294 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 2: yourself back on schedule and get some good sleep again. 295 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 2: If you you listen to Nights Out, I'll take you 296 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 2: to Midnight every night if you don't fall asleep, you're 297 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 2: on your own. 298 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:48,560 Speaker 5: Okay, I'm listening. I don't have a right there with 299 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 5: you every night now, and thank you for this topic. 300 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 2: Very welcome, Lary, thank you so much. Good night. We've 301 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:56,320 Speaker 2: got to take a break for news. If you'd like 302 00:18:56,359 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 2: to join the conversation six one seven, two four ten 303 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 2: thirty sixths of a ten thirty if if any question 304 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:09,400 Speaker 2: about seasonal effective disorder. We've never done this topic at 305 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 2: this depth, but I happen to believe that more of 306 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 2: you out there, and particularly people who do rely upon 307 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 2: radio for a companionship at night, are are listening and 308 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 2: feel free. This is a great opportunity. I don't know 309 00:19:25,040 --> 00:19:27,199 Speaker 2: when we will get back to this topic again, so 310 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 2: there's no question that is that is inappropriate. If it 311 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:34,520 Speaker 2: impacts you, you can ask the question. Don't expect the 312 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:39,320 Speaker 2: doctor could diagnose your situation. You can't expect that, but 313 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 2: she certainly can give you, as she gave to Larry, 314 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 2: some information and guidance which hopefully will help him. Six one, seven, two, 315 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:49,960 Speaker 2: five four ten thirty six one seven nine three one 316 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:52,440 Speaker 2: ten thirty Coming right back on night Side. 317 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:58,159 Speaker 1: Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio. 318 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 2: We're you talking with doctor Varsha Radikrishna. 319 00:20:02,480 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 6: Uh. 320 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,920 Speaker 2: She is with the Tough Medical Center. She's a psychiatrist, 321 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 2: and we're talking about seasonal effective disorder. I'm surprised we 322 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 2: have heard from men, and we look as if it's 323 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 2: all men at this point. I know that on this 324 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:20,479 Speaker 2: issue there are a lot of women out here who 325 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 2: would have a question as well. So ladies, don't miss 326 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 2: the opportunity. Let me go next to Alex in Millis, Massachusetts. Alex, 327 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:30,920 Speaker 2: you were on with doctor Vasha Radikrishna. 328 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 6: Hi, doctor Vassa, Hi Dan, good eating. Before I was 329 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 6: gonna mention, uh, not only humans have a seasonal disorder, 330 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 6: but my dog, our dog, he does get affected by 331 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:50,719 Speaker 6: it too, So just like us, I think you know 332 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 6: most people will agree. And the other thing is, as 333 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:58,320 Speaker 6: soon as you know they changed the clocks back, it 334 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:04,399 Speaker 6: seems to me like you know that, Okay, it's it's uh, 335 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 6: it gets darker earlier, and I feel like, okay, this 336 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 6: is not the right time. So my body hasn't kind 337 00:21:11,880 --> 00:21:14,680 Speaker 6: of like jet lag, except I haven't flown anywhere. 338 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 3: Okay, yeah, no, that's and and thank you for bringing 339 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 3: up the the point about you know, our animals also 340 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 3: experiencing uh. You know, similarly, when we think of say, 341 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 3: hibernation for other animals, we we see that same type 342 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,879 Speaker 3: of phenomenon where our body is kind of slowing down. 343 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:40,520 Speaker 3: So we see some of those similar types of uh 344 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:46,439 Speaker 3: features and humans to the biological side. But I, you know, 345 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 3: I I certainly think what we can see with some 346 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 3: of these these changes in the daylight and and especially 347 00:21:54,560 --> 00:21:57,440 Speaker 3: with daylight savings, as the clock falls back or forward, 348 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 3: it can lead to that jet lag like feeling even 349 00:22:02,119 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 3: shorter timeframe. Safe we're traveling somewhere that doesn't have such 350 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 3: a big shift necessarily not so many hours apart, you 351 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:13,560 Speaker 3: can still our bodies can still feel it, and it 352 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:16,879 Speaker 3: can take a few days to to really reorient. 353 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:19,439 Speaker 6: Right, would you say, doctor? 354 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 4: Uh? 355 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:23,679 Speaker 6: You know, I have no problem falling asleep, although I 356 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,720 Speaker 6: like to have you know, I sleep sometimes with the 357 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 6: TV on. Some people find that a book reading a 358 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 6: book helps them, But it's not a good idea to like, 359 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 6: you know, if I have the TV uh, just you know, 360 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 6: have the volume down. Uh, It's it kind of relaxes me. 361 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:45,959 Speaker 6: Or is that still you know, not a good idea 362 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:47,280 Speaker 6: because it's a stimulant. 363 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 3: So generally when we when we think about good sleep hygiene, 364 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:56,520 Speaker 3: it's important to note what what works for you. So 365 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,679 Speaker 3: what might what might help to relax you and be 366 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 3: part of your Your nighttime routine might be a little 367 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 3: bit different from someone else's, but generally speaking, I say 368 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 3: audio is not necessarily always super stimulating, whereas when you're 369 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:17,080 Speaker 3: looking at say a screen or bright lights, that's usually 370 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 3: where we tend to see our brains are sort of 371 00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 3: getting you know, hyperfixated, wired, more activated to say, with reading. 372 00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 3: On the other hand, when it's not on a screen, 373 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 3: that doesn't necessarily seem to lead to that same type 374 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 3: of sleepwake disturbance. But generally speaking, if you find an 375 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:41,440 Speaker 3: activity or something that you really enjoy that does help 376 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:45,560 Speaker 3: relax you, I'd say there's nothing wrong in in including 377 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 3: that into your regular sleep routine. 378 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:54,640 Speaker 2: Okay, right, Alex, great questions, Thanks thanks to Okay, good night, 379 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:56,880 Speaker 2: and give you dog a big pet for us, Okay, 380 00:23:56,960 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 2: because he needs to be he she needs to be 381 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:03,440 Speaker 2: some it as well. Thanks, Alex takes up the whole bed. 382 00:24:04,040 --> 00:24:06,360 Speaker 2: That's okay, that's what dogs are supposed to do. 383 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:08,800 Speaker 6: It's a great night. 384 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 2: Next up. Richard in Beverly, Massachusetts. Hi, Richard, you're next 385 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:16,240 Speaker 2: night side with my guest doctor Vasha. Right akut snap 386 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:19,159 Speaker 2: hell there, hello. 387 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:19,440 Speaker 4: Gorun ahead. 388 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 7: My suggestion is to move the spring forward just to 389 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 7: half an hour and never touch the clocks again. 390 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 2: Well, I don't know if we can do that, and 391 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 2: that's really not the topic here. Are you impacted? Do 392 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 2: you feel differently in the few days? You know, obviously 393 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:45,720 Speaker 2: we thought we gained an hour's worth of sleep, which 394 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 2: we did Saturday night into Sunday morning, But now we've 395 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 2: lost an hour in the afternoon of daylight. 396 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:52,520 Speaker 6: Right? 397 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:57,879 Speaker 2: Does that affect your It affects me. I just driving tonight. 398 00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:01,359 Speaker 2: I went out to grad dinner about I don't know 399 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 2: four thirty or well five o'clock actually, and it was like, 400 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:07,680 Speaker 2: why is it so dark at five o'clock? Oh yeah, 401 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 2: we're now we're now out of daylight savings time. I 402 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 2: had to, you know, remember, because last week, if you're 403 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:19,280 Speaker 2: driving at five o'clock, the sun was up, it's not now. 404 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,159 Speaker 2: I don't think it affects my mood. Does it affect 405 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:23,159 Speaker 2: your mood? Richard? 406 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:26,919 Speaker 7: No, it doesn't cause me at all. I'm just you know, 407 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 7: we've been doing this forever moving the clocks, and if 408 00:25:30,280 --> 00:25:33,199 Speaker 7: we just put it on half the distance between it 409 00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:35,680 Speaker 7: and never touched it again, we wouldn't have to worry 410 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:36,480 Speaker 7: about it anymore. 411 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:41,359 Speaker 2: I don't know, doctor Basha, I don't know if you 412 00:25:41,400 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 2: want to a comment on that or not. Do you 413 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 2: think that would solve the problem or do you think. 414 00:25:48,640 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 3: It would be I think I think certainly the idea 415 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 3: of it being all all related to time. I know, 416 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 3: when we think about seasonal effective disorder, mood chaines, there's 417 00:26:01,400 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 3: so much more than than the time frame alone. I 418 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 3: think the psychological impact, the sudden jolt, to the way 419 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:13,359 Speaker 3: our bodies are adapting to these changes and in time frame. 420 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:15,639 Speaker 3: I know, I, for one, say, if I'm going to 421 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,160 Speaker 3: work and I'm used to being able to leave work 422 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:21,080 Speaker 3: and still see it bright outside, so when it's dark 423 00:26:21,119 --> 00:26:25,400 Speaker 3: it feels pretty. It does feel different. There's some there's 424 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,840 Speaker 3: a different feeling about it psychologically for sure. So I 425 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 3: think on that hands where you know, changing time frames 426 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 3: can be one piece, but there's also so many other parts, 427 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 3: like the hormonal pieces, genetics, other stressful factors that might 428 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 3: accompany the winter time, you know, increase risk of feeling lonely, 429 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 3: of not connecting with others. Sure, so there's so many 430 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 3: pieces that can still also have an active role. 431 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, there is the element that in that in the 432 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 2: winter time, you're not likely at six o'clock at night 433 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:00,919 Speaker 2: to go out and take a walk before dinner or 434 00:27:00,960 --> 00:27:03,879 Speaker 2: after dinner because it's so dark and it's cold in 435 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 2: the area where we live, and that isolates we self isolate. 436 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 2: I don't know how you're able chemically, and it is chemical, 437 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 2: I assume it's chemical reactions. But how you can test that, 438 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:20,399 Speaker 2: I don't know that they can you can ever test 439 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:23,879 Speaker 2: what percentage of it is just the cold weather, what 440 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 2: percentage of it is the higher percentage of the lack 441 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:31,159 Speaker 2: of a high percentage of light during the day. I 442 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 2: assume that at some point fifty years from now, they'll 443 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:36,120 Speaker 2: be able they'll have tests for people where they can 444 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 2: figure out what they can do. I don't know, doctor Vosher, 445 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 2: if you agree with that. But the medical field is 446 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:46,919 Speaker 2: always coming up with new tests. I mean, they you 447 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:49,840 Speaker 2: have so many tests that you can take now. I 448 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:51,600 Speaker 2: kind of imagine when it will be like fifty years 449 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 2: from now, particularly on something. 450 00:27:52,840 --> 00:27:55,199 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, I think the world is going to be 451 00:27:55,240 --> 00:27:58,760 Speaker 3: totally different in fifty years, so I can only imagine 452 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:03,560 Speaker 3: we might have a way to even detect which, you know, 453 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 3: who is more at risk of developing seasonal effective symptoms. 454 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:09,920 Speaker 3: I can I can absolutely see that as uh being 455 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,400 Speaker 3: part of part of our medical journey moving. 456 00:28:13,119 --> 00:28:16,879 Speaker 2: Forward, No, no doubt, Richard, appreciate your call. We'll have 457 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:18,720 Speaker 2: to take under advisement your suggestion. 458 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 7: Okay, Okay, thank. 459 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:23,919 Speaker 2: You, Richard, great munch bye, thank you, good night. We're 460 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 2: gonna take quick break. Joan in Alaska is calling. You 461 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 2: want to talk about seasonal effective disorder. Joan, We're going 462 00:28:30,560 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 2: to take a break. We'll get you on the other side. 463 00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 2: If anyone else would like to join us as well, 464 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,200 Speaker 2: you gotta dial quickly now. Six one seven, two five 465 00:28:37,240 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 2: four ten thirty. Six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. 466 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 2: We're talking about a condition that affects a lot of 467 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 2: people every year around this time. That's why we did 468 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:50,960 Speaker 2: this tonight. Feel free questions comments, You're all welcome. Six 469 00:28:51,040 --> 00:28:54,080 Speaker 2: one seven, two, five four ten thirty or six one seven, 470 00:28:54,360 --> 00:28:56,680 Speaker 2: nine three one ten thirty. And we also have that 471 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 2: triple eight number triple eight nine two nine ten thirty nightside. 472 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 1: Right after this, you're on night side. With Dan Ray 473 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 1: on w b Z, Boston's news Radio. 474 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:13,160 Speaker 2: My guest is doctor Vasha Rata Christian. She is a 475 00:29:13,160 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 2: psychiatrist with Tough's Medical Center. We're talking about seasonal effective disorder, 476 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,040 Speaker 2: and no part of the world probably is more effective 477 00:29:20,040 --> 00:29:22,360 Speaker 2: by seasonal or at least part of the United States 478 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 2: by seasonal effective disorder than Hey, Joan, Welcome back to Nightside. 479 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:28,719 Speaker 2: You're on with doctor Fasher. 480 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 4: Go right ahead, Hi Dan, Hi doctor. We are definitely 481 00:29:35,040 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 4: greatly impacted by SAD up here. And I experienced my 482 00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:41,760 Speaker 4: own hit the wall after I had been here for 483 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:45,520 Speaker 4: about twenty years, and I actually had blood work done. 484 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:48,800 Speaker 4: When you were talking about chemistry and hormones and all 485 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 4: of that. It was around the time when a woman 486 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:55,920 Speaker 4: of a certain age his hormones checked. But they also 487 00:29:56,080 --> 00:30:00,760 Speaker 4: checked my vitamin D level and I barely had any 488 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:02,560 Speaker 4: vitamin D. 489 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:04,880 Speaker 2: Sunshine right is a vitamin D sunshine? 490 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:09,280 Speaker 4: Hello? Yep. And I was prescribed in prescription strength vitamin D. 491 00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 4: But I would caution people not to just take vitamin 492 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 4: D randomly, and I'm sure the doctor can explain the 493 00:30:19,880 --> 00:30:22,959 Speaker 4: risks of that, but it's very worthwhile to get your 494 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:27,360 Speaker 4: vitamin D level checked and then I also use a 495 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 4: small device that is a light that I'll use late 496 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 4: morning or early afternoon for about half an hour, and 497 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 4: that helps. It's a sad light, yep. And that's But 498 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:48,000 Speaker 4: the impact up here, I know, is huge and I 499 00:30:48,040 --> 00:30:51,960 Speaker 4: often wonder how the native population years ago dealt with 500 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:54,360 Speaker 4: that other than what we all tend to do up 501 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 4: here is you know, you start increasing your carbs and 502 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 4: your hunker down and do what the bears do. Yeah, 503 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 4: it really it does. I mean the carb cravings. We 504 00:31:06,800 --> 00:31:11,240 Speaker 4: people joke about it, but it's it's very prevalent. 505 00:31:11,600 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 2: And Joan, I think ed we're going to ask you 506 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 2: how much snow do you get? 507 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:19,560 Speaker 4: I mean, I'm an Eagle River right now, I'm about 508 00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:21,440 Speaker 4: ten miles outside of Anchorage. 509 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:24,520 Speaker 2: So you just still stop for real? And when does 510 00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:25,080 Speaker 2: it stop? 511 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:27,760 Speaker 4: If ever, you're not allowed to say that word. We 512 00:31:27,840 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 4: haven't had a significant amount yet, but we're due to 513 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 4: start on Thursday. It can start anytime in October and 514 00:31:36,280 --> 00:31:41,440 Speaker 4: continue until April. Wow, but we have I can still 515 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:44,720 Speaker 4: see green grass out in the yard. But we're due 516 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 4: to get our first significant dump on Thursday. 517 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:53,200 Speaker 2: Well, do us a favorite, Joan, keeping closer contact with us, 518 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 2: We were always going to be there for you, no 519 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:58,560 Speaker 2: matter what month of the year, what time of day 520 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 2: you think it is, what time of it actually is, 521 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:03,720 Speaker 2: and and uh and and check in with we can 522 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 2: monitor you as you go through. 523 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 4: Well, yeah, I appreciate it. We're supposed to be social, 524 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:11,640 Speaker 4: so this will be my social time from my requiner. 525 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:15,560 Speaker 2: We could check it in on your winter. 526 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 4: Of discontent comment if you would talctor about the vitamin D. Absolutely, 527 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 4: it made a huge difference for me. 528 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:27,680 Speaker 3: Yes, thank you so much for bringing that up and 529 00:32:28,200 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 3: for sharing your experience. Vitamin D levels are often something 530 00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 3: that doesn't regularly get get checked, but I think really should. 531 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 3: Especially vitamin D deficiency can can really look like depression. 532 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 3: And part of that is the extreme fatigue, the the 533 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 3: lack of motivation, the difficulty waking up in the morning. 534 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 3: A lot of those those symptoms are very similar and 535 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 3: overlap with what we might think of as as more 536 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:04,240 Speaker 3: depressive symptoms. And so at least with with my psychiatry 537 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:07,400 Speaker 3: colleagues that in the hospital, I actually regularly check vitamin 538 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 3: D now knowing that, especially in the Northeast, it's it's 539 00:33:11,680 --> 00:33:16,360 Speaker 3: extremely common to have vitamin D deficiency and and you're 540 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:19,120 Speaker 3: right in that taking too much vitamin D not not 541 00:33:19,200 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 3: taking a typical prescribed amount is not something that we 542 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:27,920 Speaker 3: would regularly recommend, but it is really important. Say you 543 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:32,040 Speaker 3: are vitamin D deficient, doctors can write a specific high 544 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:36,120 Speaker 3: strength prescription that may be able to help replete faster 545 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:41,520 Speaker 3: and hopefully provide relief faster. And those prescription strength medications, 546 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:45,200 Speaker 3: especially the higher doses of vitamin D or usually not 547 00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:49,520 Speaker 3: available necessarily over the counter. But that's where getting the 548 00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 3: lab work monitoring it can be super helpful. And then 549 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 3: you also mentioned the light box, and I'm so glad 550 00:33:56,920 --> 00:33:59,240 Speaker 3: that you brought that up because that that is actually 551 00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 3: one of the most effective treatments that we have for 552 00:34:02,560 --> 00:34:07,720 Speaker 3: seasonal effective disorder and it can be extremely helpful. So really, 553 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:11,799 Speaker 3: what the light box does, it's a specific type of 554 00:34:12,280 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 3: strength or number of movements, so it has to be 555 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:18,960 Speaker 3: usually or lux so we call it usually ten thousand 556 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:22,600 Speaker 3: lucks minimum of the strength of the light box. And 557 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:25,840 Speaker 3: you can actually order these off online even on Amazon. 558 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:34,399 Speaker 3: And with these light boxes, it simulates daylight. So if 559 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:36,680 Speaker 3: you actually turn on the box and like you're doing 560 00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 3: a set period of time for the day, you can 561 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:43,239 Speaker 3: extend either the daytime by turning on the box in 562 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:45,400 Speaker 3: the evening, or if you say, wake up earlier in 563 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:48,799 Speaker 3: the morning it's still dark out, you can set up 564 00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 3: the light box and basically expose yourself to it, so 565 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:56,520 Speaker 3: it's recreating that feeling of sunlight. 566 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:59,240 Speaker 2: Sounds great, sounds great, Joan, thanks so much for calling. 567 00:34:59,280 --> 00:35:01,200 Speaker 2: I want to get one more in here real quickly. 568 00:35:01,600 --> 00:35:05,800 Speaker 2: We stay well, okay, stay strong, let me get Alan Belmont. 569 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:07,400 Speaker 2: Now we got about a minute. Do you have a 570 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:09,400 Speaker 2: quick question or a comment for the doctor? 571 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:14,359 Speaker 8: Yes, just wondering why do we do this? If it's 572 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:17,000 Speaker 8: so bad for everybody, why don't we turn the clocks 573 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:20,240 Speaker 8: ahead instead of bringing them back to get more daylight 574 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 8: in the winter times? One of the day's lights daylight 575 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:26,680 Speaker 8: short anyway, And I don't know how those people in 576 00:35:26,719 --> 00:35:29,399 Speaker 8: Alaskauld do it. Wouldn't it dark? 577 00:35:30,680 --> 00:35:32,239 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know what, I think y'all will have to 578 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:34,880 Speaker 2: save that question for another night, because we're really talking 579 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:39,200 Speaker 2: more about the medical and the psychological impact of seasonal 580 00:35:39,239 --> 00:35:43,640 Speaker 2: effective disorder. The the debate over whether the clock should 581 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:46,239 Speaker 2: go forward stay where they are, go backwards maybe half 582 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:49,560 Speaker 2: an hour. That's never going to end. Ali, I'm flat 583 00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:51,399 Speaker 2: out of time, and I wish you called earlier, but 584 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:56,759 Speaker 2: thank you so much for at least raising that question. Okay, 585 00:35:56,800 --> 00:35:59,560 Speaker 2: thanks buddy, hanging there, we're here for you. Don't worry, 586 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 2: doctor Vasha rte a quest now, thank you so much 587 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:07,600 Speaker 2: for your time tonight. It was fascinating for me. I 588 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:10,279 Speaker 2: hope my audience enjoyed it as much as I did. 589 00:36:10,320 --> 00:36:12,919 Speaker 2: And thank you for being so generous with your time 590 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:13,680 Speaker 2: to my audience. 591 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,200 Speaker 3: Absolutely, and and thank you so much for having me. 592 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:18,640 Speaker 3: It's a it's a pleasure. 593 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:22,640 Speaker 2: We'll have you back. You're good at this, You're very good. 594 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:28,279 Speaker 2: You explained things really well. It's it's a gift you have, 595 00:36:28,480 --> 00:36:31,200 Speaker 2: so thank you. We will take advantage of it whatever 596 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:33,200 Speaker 2: whatever we get. Thank you so much. 597 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:35,399 Speaker 3: Well, I would love to come back. 598 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:37,040 Speaker 4: Take care back. 599 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:40,760 Speaker 2: Thank you, doctor. We'll take a quick break and we're goingness. 600 00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:41,040 Speaker 1: Now. 601 00:36:41,320 --> 00:36:44,720 Speaker 2: Look at some of the election results in Boston, New Jersey, 602 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,959 Speaker 2: in Virginia. It looks as if the Democrats have picked 603 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:52,960 Speaker 2: up our governorship in Virginia held the governorship in New Jersey. 604 00:36:53,719 --> 00:36:56,640 Speaker 2: At least those two results are not what Donald Trump 605 00:36:56,640 --> 00:36:59,960 Speaker 2: and the Republicans wanted. We'll also talk about the Boston race. 606 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:02,320 Speaker 2: Is we get some races, some numbers coming into Boston 607 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:04,759 Speaker 2: as well. We'll get to politics right after the ten 608 00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:07,360 Speaker 2: o'clock news here at nights that in your reaction to 609 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:08,640 Speaker 2: what's happening around the country.