Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression in which the individual feels depressed during the early fall or winter season when the days are shorter and nights are longer.

Those affected by winter depression react adversely to the decreasing amounts of light and colder temperatures with the progress of winter season.

Seasonal affective disorder usually occurs and recurs as the fall and winter progress. However, there are some people who suffer from this condition even during summers.

How Common is SAD?

Research has shown that nearly 20 percent of 8.5 million Swedish population is affected by SAD, 4 to 5 percent of U.S. population suffers from SAD, and nearly 10 to 20 percent suffer from milder form of winter blues.

Women are more affected from this disorder and the age group that is more hit by SAD is 20s, 30s and 40s. The older population is less likely to be affected.

The place where an individual lives contributes a lot in developing this disorder. People living in places at a high altitude are more prone to winter depression. Similarly, individuals who are work in offices where there are less number of windows are more likely to get depressed. Still others could have a dull mood due to a cloudy hazy day.

Reason Behind Developing SAD?

The researchers have found that lack of bright light or sunlight during the dark seasons like winters is the most probable cause of developing seasonal affective disorder.

During winters, days are shorter and nights are longer and thus there is less availability of sunlight. Due to this, the biological clock in our body gets affected which makes us sad, depressed and deprived of energy.

Research has also shown that bright light is beneficial for the mood lifting chemicals in the brain. Lack of bright light can cause an imbalance in the chemicals leaving people sad and depressed.

Potential Treatment for SAD

Light therapy, cognitive therapy or anti-depressants, as prescribed by the doctors, could be the potential treatments of seasonal affective disorder.

One of the most common methods used is light therapy also known as phototherapy. In light therapy, a person is made to sit in front of bank of lights or fluorescent light tubes covered with plastic. The affected person should sit in front of light for a particular time, limit approximately 30 minutes daily.

It should be continued for the entire season of low sunlight as it has been seen if the treatment is discontinued in between then the symptoms of SAD could reappear. Light therapy is said to be one of the safest measures.

Antidepressants like Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil etc, are also found to be helpful in treating SAD.

Temporarily changing locations to a climate that is characterized by bright light can also be of great help. Don’t surrender yourself to darkness, for it may block your mind.

In order to prevent the occurrence of such a type of disorder, individuals should spend sufficient time in an open environment even if it’s cloudy or hazy.

Symptoms of SAD

•Tiredness

•Fatigue

•Depression

•Crying spells

•Irritability

•Trouble concentrating

•Body aches

•Loss of sex drive

•Poor sleep

•Decreased activity level

•Overeating

•Oversleeping

Symptoms During Summers

•Insomnia

•Poor appetite

•Weight loss

•Irritability

•Crying spells

•Difficulty in concentration

•Suicidal thoughts in severe cases

 Foods to Boost Your Mood During Winters

1. Green leafy vegetables, cereals are good for brain

2. Orange colored vegetables like radish, and fruits like orange are great mood lifters, increase eye sight and are excellent for brain

3. Caffeinated drinks like tea, coffee, and cocoa promote mental function, feelings of well-being and short-term memory, and increase alertness

4.Milk and milk products like cheeze, butter, are rich in Vitamin D also known as ‘sunshine vitamin’ could prove very beneficial for people who live in cold areas.

5.Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and is a very good supplement that can lift a depressing mood.