Quebecers and most Canadians will gain an hour of sleep during the night from Saturday to Sunday, but will thereby lose an hour of daylight in the evening. A change feared by those who, as winter approaches, say they are likely to suffer from seasonal depression.
While numerous studies have found other impacts of the time change, such as an increase in strokes, car accidents and medical errors, the science remains unclear on the risk of seasonal depression. . The duty spoke with a psychologist to set the record straight.
Maxime De Gélas, co-director of the Laurier Park Psychology Clinic, refers to the recommendations of the DSM-5, the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association.
The work “does not recognize the term ‘seasonal depression,’ but refers to ‘depressive disorder with seasonality,'” he says. “A diagnosis can be made if depressive symptoms occur over more than two weeks, if they affect psychosocial functioning, and if they are related to a change in season. »
The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) defines “seasonal affective disorder (SAD)” as “a mood disorder that comes and goes with seasonal changes, appearing in the fall and disappearing in the spring or summer.” Approximately 15% of Canadians have experienced mild symptoms at least once in their life, while 2% to 3% have reported severe symptoms. The CPS adds that 10% of depression diagnoses in Canada are “the result of SAD”.
Alleviate symptoms
Whether one has received a diagnosis of “depressive disorder or not, the arrival of autumn requires adaptations for everyone, and can increase the volume of already existing difficulties,” specifies Mr. De Gélas. “The time change particularly affects the sleep-wake cycle, which can make us more irritable and disrupt our emotions. » This is why “people talk about it a lot in clinics” and why “requests for psychotherapy consultations are increased during the winter”.
The psychologist maintains that it is “normal to feel affected” by changes in time and season. “So one of the first things people can do to alleviate their symptoms is to prepare themselves psychologically and give themselves some time to adapt. We must also continue the activities that we did before the seasonal change, such as sports and going out with friends, even if we may have a tendency to isolate ourselves, and even if it may prove more difficult than usual. ‘Before. »
“If we don’t see any improvement despite these efforts, we can consider consulting,” he says. The SCP indicates that cognitive-behavioral therapy, counseling and psychodynamic therapies are particularly effective and mostly recommended.
A recurring debate
Inevitably, the time change gives rise to debates about its legitimacy. Last month, the Parti Québécois submitted a petition to the National Assembly to abolish it, citing that it “does nothing good, especially for sleep”.
The sovereignist party had already tabled a motion, in 2019, with the aim of setting up a study group on the issue. Although he said he was open to “studying” it in 2020, François Legault did not follow up on this proposal.
Yukon and Saskatchewan have already abolished the time change, while other provinces are considering doing so.
So, for now, this controversial measure is holding up in eastern Canada. Sunday, at 2 a.m., it will actually be 1 a.m. Rewinding will be automatic on most phones and computers, but will need to be done manually on many clocks and alarm clocks. It is also recommended to take advantage of this time to change the batteries of the smoke detectors in your home.