The autumn and winter seasons can be tough, and not just due to the cold (although that certainly doesn’t help).
Some people suffer from seasonal depression, also known as the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder (poetically abbreviated as SAD), which makes this period of time particularly challenging.
This disorder typically begins and ends at about the same time every year. Most people experience it at the start of autumn and throughout the winter months. Often, SAD resolves itself during spring and summer.
However, less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer, resolving itself in autumn and winter, Mayo Clinic notes.
Seasonal affective disorder has various symptoms, including having low energy, feeling sluggish, losing interest in activities you usually enjoy, and feeling down or listless nearly every day.
You might also have trouble concentrating, feel hopeless, worthless, or guilty, have issues with sleeping too much, or overeating.
Furthermore, it’s possible that you might feel anxious, irritable, agitated, and experience insomnia and poor appetite during summer-onset SAD.
To put it simply, even though researchers don’t exactly know what causes SAD, it’s speculated that the reduced level of sunlight in autumn and winter, and changes to your serotonin and melatonin levels, are to blame.
Some factors that are likely to increase your risk of SAD include things like having a family history of seasonal depression, living far from the equator, low levels of vitamin D, and having major depression or bipolar disorder.
Generally speaking, you should go see a doctor if your seasonal affective disorder affects your daily life and you can’t find the motivation to do the things that you usually do.
What’s more, you should seek help if your sleep patterns and appetite are impacted, or if you constantly feel hopeless.
There are various ways to treat SAD, including light therapy (aka phototherapy), psychotherapy, and medications. Though it might not be possible to prevent seasonal depression, you can take steps to manage your symptoms and stop them from getting worse.
“You may be able to head off serious changes in mood, appetite and energy levels, as you can predict the time of the year in which these symptoms may start. Treatment can help prevent complications, especially SAD if it is diagnosed and treated before symptoms get bad.”
