Facts

• Although Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) has been around for about 150 years, it was only recognized as a mental disorder in the 1980s.
• Another name for SAD is the “winter blues”. However, some people suffer from a summer version of SAD, which is less common.
• SAD may affect some children and teenagers, but it tends to begin in people over the age of 20. The risk of SAD decreases with age. The condition is more common in women than in men.
• The further you live away from the equator (either north or south), the more likely you are to suffer from SAD. For example, someone in the southern United States has less of a chance of developing SAD than someone who lives in the Yukon.
• Two to three percent of Canadians are affected by SAD, although some statistics say that it is more like 5-10% of Canadians.
• SAD prevents people from functioning normally and at their best.

(Canadian Mental Health Association)

Causes

• The body’s internal biological clock causes us to want to sleep when it is dark outside and to function when there is daylight and sun. As the days get shorter and shorter, some people’s bodies tell them to sleep more even though our schedules no longer change with the seasons.
• Biology also factors in: sunlight causes the body’s levels of serotonin to increase and a lack of sunlight causes those levels to decrease. It also causes the levels of melatonin to increase, which can cause seasonal depression.

Symptoms

• Increased sleeping time
• Weight gain
• Increased appetite – especially for carbohydrates (sugars and starches)
• Fatigue and decreased energy levels
• Increased anxiety
• Loss of sexual desire
• Difficulty concentrating on and completing tasks
• Feelings of being lazy and sluggish

Diagnosis

It’s difficult to diagnose Seasonal Affective Disorder because the symptoms for SAD are also symptoms for other types of depression or even for a physical condition, such as a thyroid problem.

Another reason why it can be difficult to diagnose SAD is that many people are slightly affected by the weather. Just because you feel kind of sad on a rainy day doesn’t mean you have SAD. In general, people who suffer from SAD have many of the symptoms for at least two consecutive years and these symptoms disappear when spring arrives.

Treatment

• Light therapy: extremely bright lights (between five and twenty times brighter than normal house lights) are used to help simulate sunlight and stop the body’s production of melatonin.
• Other ways to help prevent SAD are to exercise and make adjustments to your diet by resisting carbohydrate cravings.
• Other suggestions include going outside for a brief walk during the day and to move your desk or work area so it is close to or underneath a window.

Links

The Seasonal Affective Disorder Association
Family Doctor – Seasonal Affective Disorder