Health & Wellness - December 2011 Archives

Spot in Lung on Chest X-ray Common and Typically Noncancerous December 30, 2011 Dear Mayo Clinic: A spot in my lung showed up on a routine chest X-ray. ...

Underlying Causes of Sleepless Nights are Often Treatable December 30, 2011 Dear Mayo Clinic: Does getting older mean that you won't sleep as ...

When fall colors fade and winter rolls in with its increasingly cold temperatures and dwindling daylight, there's a good chance you've felt sluggish, moody and like you're stuck in a funk. Those symptoms are typical of someone experiencing seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, a type of depression that typically occurs during the winter months. Symptoms include sleeping too much, overeating, loss of energy, social withdrawal and difficulty concentrating. People residing in Northern latitudes are more likely to experience SAD.     When fall colors fade and winter rolls in with its increasingly cold temperatures and dwindling daylight, there's a good chance you've felt sluggish, moody and like you're stuck in a funk. Those symptoms are typical of someone experiencing seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, a type of depression that typically occurs during the winter months. Symptoms include sleeping too much, overeating, loss of energy, social withdrawal and difficulty concentrating. People residing in Northern latitudes are more likely to experience SAD. While many people periodically experience some elements of SAD in winter , Mayo Clinic sleep specialist and psychiatrist Robert Auger, M.D., says you should seek professional help if your symptoms begin to affect your ability to perform at work and/or begin to take a toll on your personal relationships.  Seeking clinical help is particularly important if you begin to feel hopeless, or have thoughts of self-harm, he says. Dr. Auger offers these tips to keep your mood and motivation steady throughout the winter: Get outside -- There is no substitute for natural light. If you work during the day, try to go for a walk during a break or lunch. Light therapy boxes can help boost your mood when you're unable to get outdoors. Get regular exercise -- At least three times a week for 30 minutes. Stay social -- Interact with family and friends on a regular basis. Dr. Auger is available for radio, broadcast and print interviews on seasonal affective disorder throughout the winter. For broadcast quality video and radio of Auger speaking about SAD, visit newsblog.mayoclinic.org. To schedule an interview with Dr. Auger, contact Nick Hanson at 507-284-5005 or newsbureau@mayo.edu

Bruising Easily Can Be Normal but Sometimes Signals an Underlying Problem December 23, 2011 Dear Mayo Clinic: Lately I seem to bruise very easily. Is this something I ...

All she wanted for Christmas were her bottom teeth. And her wish has come true.  Earlier this year Mayo Clinic treated an opera singer who had to have ...

Here are your Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minutes  for the month of February, 2014.  To download, right click on each link and "save target as".  ...

Here are your Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minutes for the month of January, 2021. To download, right click on each link or click on the ...

Here are your Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minutes  for the month of January, 2014.  To download, right click on each link and "save target as".  ...

Here are your Mayo Clinic Radio Health Minutes for the month of May, 2014. To download, right click on each link and "save target as". ...

Previous Gastric Bypass Surgery May be Affecting Time-release Medication December 16, 2011 Dear Mayo Clinic: I suffer from chronic back pain that requires ...

Cataract Surgery is Possible for Most People Who've Had LASIK December 16, 2011 Dear Mayo Clinic: Is it true that I cannot have ...

Mayo Clinic will break ground for a cutting edge cancer therapy facility on December 13 at its hospital campus in Phoenix. Construction begins this month ...