Eddie Cochran had it all wrong. The “Summertime Blues” singer must not have visited San Diego. Like most residents of America’s Finest City, I take comfort in the sun’s rays and find life dreariest when the clouds roll in (those five or six days a year).

While gloomy days put a bit of a damper on my outlook, there are many who suffer more when the seasons change. In fact, The American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual recognizes seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is no laughing matter – an estimated 10 million people live with SAD, and it significantly hampers their ability to cope with life.

As the daylight hours wane, the temperature cools and the sun starts playing hide and seek, a person’s positive outlook can fade. While that can be difficult for most to cope with, people who live with SAD experience far more debilitating concerns. According to the Mayo Clinic, SAD “is a cyclic, seasonal condition. This means that signs and symptoms usually come back and go away at the same times every year.” Some may experience SAD throughout the year, though it is most commonly associated with the winter months. Regular symptoms include lethargy, increased desire for sleep, depression, junk food cravings and weight gain. People who are normally vibrant and outgoing find themselves more reclusive during the wintertime, avoiding social gatherings and activities. SAD is most common in women (70-80 percent of cases reported are women) and onset typically happens around age 30. As you might guess, those living in more Northern regions are more likely to experience SAD.

There are quite a few theories regarding why people experience SAD, though definitive and specific pathologies have yet to be discerned. According to the Mayo Clinic, “It’s likely, as with many health conditions, that genetics, age and perhaps most importantly, your body’s natural chemical makeup all play a role in developing seasonal affective disorder.” Other possible scenarios involve the body’s biological clock, melatonin and seratonin. Some scientists believe that the body’s circadian rhythms (the physiological process that regulate the body’s ability to recognize optimal times for sleep and being awake) are thrown off due to the shorter days. Others link SAD to the release of melatonin, a sleep-related hormone that is thought to be released more frequently during winter months. Finally, some researchers have found evidence that without adequate sunlight, inadequate seratonin release takes place, which can initiate bouts of depression.

Many people are able to work through the negative symptoms associated with SAD, but for some, the complications can be tremendously difficult to bear. In fact, many people have been diagnosed with having bipolar disorder or manic depression when it is simply the changing of the seasons triggering an inability to cope with their emotion. Some might chalk it up to wintertime blues, but if left untreated, SAD-related symptoms may force some to consider suicide, completely withdraw from society, develop work- or school-related problems or abuse substances. Similar to depression, SAD can be successfully managed using a variety of techniques, but it’s very important to pay attention to your body and mind, and know when to ask for help.

If you have experienced any of the previously mentioned symptoms, it might be time to seek the guidance of a qualified professional. Google “SAD treatment San Diego,” or “treatment for depression San Diego” and you’ll find experts who are capable of providing you with the help you need.

Despite serious potential consequences, SAD can be effectively treated through a variety of methods.

One such method is called light therapy which is a treatment that exposes you to light similar to that provided by the sun. “In light therapy, you sit a few feet from a specialized light therapy box so that you’re exposed to very bright light,” as stated on the Mayo Clinic Web site. While not officially approved as a treatment method by the Food and Drug Administration, many participants have been able to reduce symptoms associated with SAD. But the light therapy box still does not optimally replicate the sun’s rays so simply exposing yourself to true sunlight for an hour can have immediate affects. Even a cloud sky can provide a SAD sufferer with positive results. But for those with time constraints, physical limitations or other deterrant, light therapy may be the next best thing to natural sunlight.

While I don’t necessarily condone the use of prescription medication – especially when other, less harmful alternatives are available – sometimes the symptoms of SAD can be so severe that a dose of medication may be the only viable option. Typically, SAD sufferers will be treated similarly to those with depression and are given antidepressants to manage the disorder. Be sure, though, that you do some research and ask lots of questions before agreeing to a prescription as some medications can have unwanted side effects.

Researchers and scientists have not yet discovered how to prevent SAD from occuring, but they do suggest taking several proactive measures to lessen the grip SAD can impose. The Mayo Clinic Web site suggests the following:

Take medication as directed and attend therapy appointments as scheduled.

Make your home sunnier and brighter. Open blinds, add skylights and trim tree branches that block sunlight.

Get outdoors on sunny days (thankfully we have a lot of these here in Southern California), even during winter.

Physical exercise helps relieve stress and anxiety, both of which can decrease SAD symptoms. Exercise has also been shown to improve self confidence which can lighten your mood.

Get enough rest (but not too much!), eat a balanced diet and take time to relax. Avoid alocohol and unprescribed drugs.

Learn to manage stress in healthy ways as opposed to overeating or other forms of self destruction.

Stay connected with people you enjoy being around.

If possible, take winter vacations in sunny, warm locations. Make massage a part of your health routine

You work hard to make a living. You work out hard to have a healthy life. But are you having a good time doing it? There are ways to find more pleasure in your work and your play. Massage is a great way to help you stay healthy, and to relieve the discomforts and injuries that can come with exercise, work and everyday life.

Of course you know that massage can relax you thoroughly. Being in a relaxed state helps prevent injury due to stiffness and lack of alertness. When the body is functioning with ease, it conserves energy. It is easier to maintain proper alignment, thereby decreasing the possibility of accident. That state of deep relaxation during and after a massage is the healing stage. It is best to just do as little as possible after a session, and to drink a lot of water.

There are those who feel that only bodywork applied with deep pressure can render therapeutic results. And there are those who cannot tolerate pressure. The truth is that any type of massage is therapeutic – whether we like the so-called “feel good” massage or like to challenge our bodies through its restrictions. Deep work can be done with little or no pressure, and deep pressure is best applied gently. Either way, to feel good is to feel in balance and in good health.

Deep Tissue simply means working with the deeper layers of the body, including muscle and fascia. Fascia is a thin membrane that coats all the muscles and their fibers. When the fascia loses elasticity, there is often pain and restriction. It is necessary to release the muscles in order to bring flexibility back and eliminate pain. This can be a painful process with some modalities, such as the original structural integration series known as Rolfing. Other less painful branches of this work have been developed as experience has shown them to be effective. Myofascial Release uses relatively light pressure, and usually no lotion nor oil, to loosen restrictions of the tissues. Cranio-sacral is done with very light pressure, and works mostly with the cranium and the cerebrospinal fluid to achieve profound results throughout the body. Deep work needs to be done slowly in order to get the body to cooperate and open up. Working too quickly will only offer more superficial results and can cause injury.

If it is not the purpose of the session to go deeply into the body, methods such as Swedish can help wonderfully with circulation and relaxation. It is important to remember that whatever methods are used, you let the practitioner know when you have reached your tolerance threshold. You are in control. Occasionally, you may experience discomfort the day after a session, but that should go away, and you will then feel the benefits of the massage.

The body produces stress hormones in response to tension or trauma, which, if not checked, can have harmful effects. Cortisol, for example, is secreted as a result of chronic stress. Too much of this chemical weakens connective tissue, suppresses immune responses, and can lead to weight gain. Improving circulation of blood and lymph through massage helps eliminate such hormones. A well-functioning lymph system is part of a strong immune system. Add to that the fact that a relaxed mind and body will then stop producing stress hormones.

Injury due to exercise or to overuse can heal more rapidly with the help of massage. Scar tissue is simply the body’s way of healing a wound. However, scar tissue forms irregularly. Massage can help the fibers to form in a more regular pattern, which reduces restriction and visible scarring. If you are under a doctor’s care, it is wise to receive a doctor’s approval before going to a massage therapist. Chiropractors are usually aware of the benefits of massage, and will readily cooperate with a therapist for best results.

Shiatsu (Japan), Thai (Thailand), and Tui Na (China) are part of the medical traditions of their respective countries. Practitioners of these techniques can do much to help you improve and maintain your health.

Psychotherapists may also ask their clients to seek stress-relieving massage. All forms of bodywork can help us become aware of and deal with emotional trauma. Somato-emotional release is one technique specifically developed for that purpose. Cranio-sacral work is another modality that subtly but profoundly benefits emotional states, as well as the deeper tissues of the body. During the course of any massage, emotions may surface as the therapist works with areas of the body where these emotions are stored.

Human beings have always sought to come into greater awareness of elusive spiritual concepts. Massage can put both the recipient and the practitioner into deep meditative states. The caring touch essential to bodywork can help bring about a sense of “connectedness” with others and with the environment. This greater sense of ease in the world can release us to have fuller, richer relationships with ourselves and with others. There is an increasing demand for the shamanic techniques that some therapists practice along with their massage work. Temple (or sacred) Lomi Lomi falls into all the above categories. As part of the extensive Hawaiian medical tradition, it was used as a rite of passage to assist the healthy integration of each individual into the community. The physical benefits were secondary to the spiritual and psychological goals of the work. This practice was revived in the last century, and is now spreading worldwide, modified to fit into modern societies.

Including massage along with the work of other healthcare professionals can advance your health goals more rapidly. And it can relieve much of the discomfort associated with your physical or emotional issues. If you have little experience or have failed in the past to achieve your health goals, you may want to devise a plan, and find the help you need to adhere to that plan. Our community has many resources to help you. Whether your goal is to recover from injury, improve your physical health, or become a great athlete, a physical trainer can guide you through a fitness program. You can enlist the help of a nutritionist. A doctor and/or acupuncturist can advise you and treat you to overcome illness or injury. A psychotherapist can help keep you psychologically healthy. All these professionals will support your efforts. You are not alone.

The wealth of modalities available within the scope of massage and bodywork affords you a wide range of experiences. People’s needs vary widely. What works for one person may not work for another, and your own needs change with time. Massage is an art as much as a science. Each therapist brings into the work her or his own qualities. The relationship between the recipient and the practitioner allows for these changes, enriching each one’s experiences. Life is change. Change is growth. Open yourself to change. Life is richer when you share your experiences. We are here and ready to help you along.

Frank P. Arce is a certified massage therapist, and his studio is located in Hillcrest. Visit his Web site at www.frankarce.com, or contact him at frank@frankarce.com or by calling 619-294-8559.

Jerry Moreau is a holistic health practitioner. Visit his Web site at www.energybodywork.com, or contact him at massagesdca@cox.net or by calling 619-208-7654.