The air gets colder, the days get shorter, and for many life begins to feel a little darker.  

It is January and for many, the winter months not only bring the cold darkness, but they allow for certain negative feelings to creep back in year after year. Seasonal Affective Depression (SAD) is a disorder in which people experience symptoms of depression only during the late fall and early winter — feelings that go away during the spring and summer months. These mood changes can affect the way a person feels, thinks, and behaves. There are more than three million cases per year.

According to Johns Hopkins, “Melatonin, a sleep-related hormone, also has been linked to SAD. The body naturally makes more melatonin when it’s dark. So, when the days are shorter and darker, more melatonin is made.”

Some common symptoms of SAD are increased sleep and drowsiness, irritability and anxiety, fatigue or low energy, weight gain, headaches, and feelings of guilt and hopelessness. The symptoms tend to come back and then improve about the same time every year. 

Researchers are still determining what causes SAD. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people with SAD have reduced levels of chemical serotonin, which helps to regulate your mood. Vitamin D is believed to promote serotonin activity. When there is sunlight on your skin, it produces vitamin D, but since there is less daylight in the winter people with SAD may have lower vitamin D levels. It is thought that when there are shorter days and less daylight triggers a chemical change in the brain that results in symptoms of depression.

There are four  main treatments available to help people with SAD including light therapy, psychotherapy, antidepressant medication, and vitamin D. The National Institute of Mental Health recommends talking to a healthcare provider about the potential benefits and risks of these different treatment options, and to figure out which option is best for each individual.

While SAD is difficult to navigate, there are resources and treatments to help it. SAD affects three-percent of the population, and an additional 10-percent may have mild cases. It is seen to affect women more than men, and usually begins between the ages of 18 and 30. If symptoms start to get severe, that should prompt a consultation with a primary care physician, psychiatrist, or other mental health professional.