For some the winter can be a not so happy season to deal with. Our energy level decreases and our mood turns from perking to blah. Some call it the winter blues, but the
correct term for it is Seasonal Affective Disorder. Here are some facts you should about SAD.
If you are depressed during the shorter days of winter but feel happier and more energetic in spring and summer, you may have seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is a type of
depression that affects you at the same time each year, usually in the fall or winter. But as the days lengthen in spring and summer, the depression lifts.
What causes SAD?
Shorter days of winter and lack of light are considered one cause of seasonal depression, especially for people who move to extreme northern climates, where winter days are very
short or seasonal differences in the amount of daylight are extreme. However, researchers are studying other possible causes, including disturbances in the body’s natural biological clock (circadian rhythms) or problems with the regulation of a brain chemical (neurotransmitter) called serotonin.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of SAD include irritability, sadness, anxiety, increased appetite and a craving for carbohydrates, weight gain, decreased activity and a need for more sleep, drowsiness during the daytime, and problems with work and relationships. Symptoms begin and end around the same time each year for each person, usually starting in September or October and ending in April or May.
Who is affected by SAD?
You are more likely to develop seasonal affective disorder if you are a female between the ages of 15 and 55. Between 60% and 90% of people with SAD are women, and those who have a relative with SAD are more likely to develop it. Older teens and young adults are also at risk for SAD. People living farther away from the equator develop SAD more often, but you can develop it no matter where you live. The risk of developing SAD for the first time decreases as you age.
~Source WebMD.com
