Not so sweet: Excessive intake of sugar during holiday season may trigger depression – Economic Times, The Times of India
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WASHINGTON: Highsugarconsumption, which is common during theholiday season, may triggerdepression, according to a study which suggests that people prone to the mental illness should control their year round sugar intake.
Along with dwindling light in wintertime, and corresponding changes in sleep patterns, high sugar consumption may lead to a “perfect storm” that adversely affects mental health, the researchers, including those from the University of Kansas (KU) in the US, said.
“For many people, reduced sunlight exposure during the winter will throw off circadian rhythms, disrupting healthy sleep and pushing five to 30 per cent of the population into a full-blown episode of clinical depression, Said study co-author Stephen Ilardi, who is also KU associate professor of clinical psychology.
The study, published in the journal Medical Hypothesis, noted that these symptoms of “winter-onset depression” could prompt people to consume more sweets.
“One common characteristic of winter-onset depression is craving sugar,” Ilardi said.
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