Seasonal Affective Disorder - Do You Have More Than The Winter Blues?

Does seasonal affective disorder (SAD) make the winter months miserable for you? If you get depressed and lethargic every year as the days get shorter, you may have more than the winter blues.

Symptoms start in October and November, as winter begins its approach. They reach their peak in January and February, and start to go away in March and April as springtime finally appears, with longer and sunnier days.

Just about everyone has the winter blues for a few days at the start of colder weather. SAD is a more serious problem that can last for months every year.

Are You At Risk?

If you live in the higher latitudes, you probably are. The further north you go, the bigger the difference between the number of hours of daylight during the summer and the winter.

In the northern parts of the US, the sun may not set until nearly ten at night in the summer. But in the winter, it's long gone by five in the afternoon. A big difference like this often triggers seasonal depression in susceptible individuals.

Women are more likely to develop this problem. It's also age-related, striking folks between the ages of 15 and 55. As you get older, it seems to become less of a problem.

Do you have a close relative who gets depressed during the winter months? Unfortunately, this condition seems to run in families. So you may have a higher risk of developing a serious case of winter depression as well.

What Causes Seasonal Depression?

Experts don't really know, but it's thought that lower light levels during the winter months are the problem. The hypothalamus is the part of your brain that controls just about everything in your body: your energy levels, your body temperature, your appetite, your moods, and how much you sleep. The more light your hypothalamus gets, the better it works.

Low light levels may cause the hypothalamus to get out of whack. And when it's out of whack, you're out of whack, too.

Symptoms Of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Around October or November every year, you'll start noticing these problems:

Moodiness

No pep -- a distinct lack of energy

Sleeping too much and feeling drowsy during the day

Loss of motivation

Losing interest in things you normally like to do

Craving carbohydrates and sweets

Gaining weight

For some people, these symptoms can be quite severe.

If you suffer from seasonal depression, don't try to ignore it. You shouldn't have to drag through the winter months every year. There are treatments available that can help.