Feeling SAD? Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder and How to Treat It

The fall and winter seasons can be magical as we celebrate the holidays, and the weather becomes crisp. But with shorter days, less sunlight and spending more time indoors, your mood can be negatively impacted.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also called seasonal depression or winter depression, is diagnosed as a type of depression. SAD is more than the "winter blues" that impacts many of us.

Recognizing the Symptoms

If you experience SAD, you likely have symptoms similar to depression such as fatigue or weight gain caused by overeating and carbohydrate cravings.

Other common symptoms include:

• Lack of interest or enjoyment in things you normally take pleasure in
• Change in your appetite, which often results in eating more
• Change in your sleep, which often results in sleeping more
• Loss of energy despite more sleep
• Increase in restless behavior like inability to sit still or pacing
• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness
• Lowered ability to concentrate or make decisions
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Roughly 5% of the U.S. adult population experiences symptoms of SAD, with most individuals reporting symptoms for four-five months out of the year. Many find the symptoms are most severe in January and February.

Generally, SAD is more common in communities like ours, which are far from the equator and, therefore, see a significant decrease in daylight hours during the winter.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you should seek out the advice of your primary care physician (PCP). They will help you receive an accurate diagnosis and recommend treatment options that are best suited to your needs.

Why Do We Get SAD?

Although the symptoms of SAD are somewhat familiar and similar to other mood disorders, the reasons we experience SAD are rather complex, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Whether you experience symptoms in the winter or the summer, experts say that it is likely due to disrupted circadian rhythms, which influence your body's sleep-wake cycle and normally match the night and day cycle.

Because of the vast changes in the amount of daylight we see in the winter months, your sleep-wake cycle has trouble changing to match the night-day cycle, causing changes to your sleep, mood and behavior.

As for why some of us experience SAD and others don't, the reason may be in our genes. The National Library of Medicine says that it is likely you are genetically predisposed to being unable to adjust your circadian rhythms if you experience seasonal depression.

However, despite multiple studies, there is still very little known as to why some of us are more sensitive to seasonal changes than others.

How Do You Treat SAD?

If you feel you have symptoms of SAD, you should first seek out the advice of your primary care physician. They will help you receive an accurate diagnosis and recommend treatment options that are best suited to your needs.

You may see an improvement in your mood through light therapy, antidepressant medications and talk therapy.

Here are some tips to help you beat seasonal blues:

• Make an active effort to go outside periodically during your day.
• Create a daily schedule for yourself to help stay active.
• Be sure to get regular exercise. If you don't regularly exercise already, start with 10 minutes a day to get you going.
• Try out some new holiday traditions, like getting an advent calendar or volunteering.
• Get some sun, especially in the morning. Although the warmth of the sun (or lack thereof) may feel like it's not working, it can help you feel more awake throughout your day.

For those who want to enjoy some light therapy without increasing the exposure to UV light, you can use a UV-free light therapy lamp. Typically, light therapy involves sitting in front of the lamp for about 20 minutes or more every day.

Your primary care physician can advise you on the best treatment options for you. If you aren't already established with a PCP, schedule your new patient appointment at one of our 13 convenient locations.

If you feel your symptoms are severe or you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, talk to your doctor immediately, head to the nearest emergency room or call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.