Anyone else feeling gloomy since daylight savings time kicked in? State College goes dark by 6pm now and I must admit, I am beginning to feel less motivated to do anything passed sunset. Well, this sparked an idea for a blog post. I am not necessarily depressed, but is there a relationship between these depressed feelings and weather conditions? And, if so, are the results of this relationship dramatic?

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs annually within a person. According to this website, It is most commonly found in individuals who live in areas with daylight fluctuation, as well as individuals between the span of 15 and 55 years old. It is also more common in women than in men. Although the etiology is not clear-cut, experts believe SAD may be caused by lack of sunlight. Absence of sunlight can throw off a person’s sleep cycle, overall mood, and circadian rhythm.

So, would you assume suicide rates peak during winter? Why wouldn’t they? Winter is the “darkest” time of year. Well, surprisingly, winter is not the prominent suicide season. In fact, “suicide weather” occurs during spring and summer. Let’s give a hypothetical scenario:

 Lucy goes to Penn State, where winters are extremely dark and cold. She begins to feel less motivated and experiences mood swings daily. She always feels fatigued and sees herself gaining weight. These are all symptoms of SAD and Lucy falls into a depression. The spring and summer seasons are approaching, and she begins to feel more energetic. This could be because of the additional hours of sunshine. This energetic attitude may be mistaken for improvement, and everyone may assume Lucy is back where she belongs. However, what we do not consider is that “it takes energy to end a life”. The desire to end her life may have been present for some time, but the stimulation to actually do it did not arise until her energy increased. Now she has the motivation to execute her plan. Lucy commits suicide in the midst of the spring season.

Where does this energy come from? According to this article that maps out the scenario given above, many studies found that people experience an increase in serotonin levels during the spring season. Serotonin releases chemicals that makes people happier, as well as more aggressive. Perhaps this aggressive behavior could have caused Lucy to act impulsively and make an irrational decision.

This website offers a different explanation. It is quite possible that the release of melatonin in the brain is the what throws off our mood. Melatonin regulates sleep cycles and the excess release of it may make an individual experience these gloomy and discouraged feelings.

Although there are many contributing factors, I am still fascinated by the phenomenon. Stay positive people! This State College weather may not be in our favor but Penn State students always have plenty of reasons to stay motivated!

Looking back on photos from when I was first born, it was clear to me that my dad had packed on a few pounds since my arrival. My mom always joked saying, “Your father is the one who gained all the weight, not me!” I laughed along, not knowing that this could be possible. Could this be true? Could my father have been the one to suffer from the cravings and weight gain? Here’s what I found.

Couvade syndrome, or sympathetic pregnancy, is a phrase used to describe a man who experiences the pregnancy-related symptoms as their spouse while she is pregnant. Common symptoms include nausea, heartburn, bloating, cravings, toothaches, and appetite changes. A man’s sleep cycle, anxiety, and depression rate may also fluctuate. These symptoms show during the first and third trimesters and the men can show any of the suggested symptoms mentioned.

Although there is no clear-cut explanation for this, studies have compared a few separate factors: hormones and love. The hormonal changes in pregnant women were compared to the changes of that in their spouses. The study found that these changes are, indeed, found in some men throughout their partner’s pregnancy. Love and emotion play part in this syndrome because the pregnancy symptoms would also cause some men to create a stronger emotional connection with their wife. 

How can this syndrome be treated? Couples are encouraged to speak highly and optimistically of their baby’s future in order to release any fear or anxiety of becoming a parent. Doctors also agree that communication is essential. Most importantly, “experts agree that the most effective treatment is to make the man feel like he is an active and vital part of the process,” according to one of my sources online. However, other areas of the world handle couvade syndrome differently. For example, according to Leopoldo Villela, studies conducted in Toluca, Mexico in the 160s suggest other routines. Men of this area would care for the soon-to-be father by performing ritual in which the father would be covered in his wife’s skirts, then rocked back and forth while he acted like a baby. This was a way to soothe the father’s fears and anxiety, and ultimately relieve the symptoms. The ritual performance would end with dinner. 

How common is this exactly? According to an online survey conducted in 2009, five thousand male respondents admitted to eating more throughout their wife’s pregnancy. Possible factors included eating out more frequently, easier access to sweets and treats, the willingness to eat unhealthy with their partner in order to make her feel better, and being served larger portions by their spouse. Ironically, only thirty percent of these men who show weight gain joined their partner in dieting and exercise following the birth of their child.

My dad gained a decent amount of weight during my mom’s pregnancy and did not lose this weight until about three years ago, which is crazy considering I’m nineteen years old. I wasn’t aware of how common or serious this syndrome was!

What I find compelling about this situation is that when a female ingests these meals, some of it is dealt to the child. Also, when giving birth, the female loses much of the weight. However, men hold onto this weight if they are not exercising throughout their spouses pregnancy. This explains why my dad packed on twice as much as my mom did, and why the extra pounds remained for so much longer!

In forth grade, a friend of mine brought in an article about sleeping for a current event assignment. He read it aloud to the class, and I listened attentively. It was an article challenging the possibility of sleep positions reflecting personalities. Is that even possible? Could sleeping a specific way actually reflect your mood at that point in life?

Apparently so! This website discusses four different sleeping positions that reflect a particular mindset. The four positions presented are Foetal, Log, Yearner, and Freefaller. Let’s take a look at each!

The foetal position is generally a curled up position, where the knees are bent high up and the head is lowered, as seen below. Typical traits of an individual sleeping in this position, as reported by Robert Phipps, include order, over-evaluation, and unnecessary worry.

The log position, displayed below, is demonstrated when an individual lays on their side in a straight position, with their arms pressed against the side of their body. “Loggers” can be stubborn, according to research, and can potentially give off a bossy attitude toward others.

The yearner is a complex position when considering personality.  With arms out in front as they sleep on their side, yearners can be seen as reaching for their goals, or being chased by their challenges. They are their “own worse critics”.

Lastly, the freefaller sleeps on their with their whole body stretched out, gripping on the pillow. Freefallers may feel passive in their own life, or not in control of the wheel.

However, when searching other websites about this topic, I found opposing studies. Professor Chris Idzikowski of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service analyzed the same four positions listed, and two more. His studies showed quite different personality traits exhibited through these sleeping patterns.

Admittedly, I find myself sleeping in both the foetal and freefaller positions. Which brings me to another question. How could I be represented by two conflicting positions? Do these positions depend on the personality and issues faced during the previous day, or my personality as a whole? If you’ve got an answer, enlighten me!