As many as 5% of American adults suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a specific form of depression that arises when sunlight levels are low. In the United States, most people affected by SAD experience worsening symptoms in the fall and winter.
People often feel blue in the winter without having SAD. After all, the days get very short and can be bitterly cold, wet, and snowy in many areas.
Here in Zionsville, Indiana, home of Integrative Health DPC, we get as little as nine hours of daylight in December, and our temperatures in January average 36℉, so plenty of people feel down over the winter.
However, SAD has far more severe and profound effects than the typical winter blues, making it comparable to major depressive disorder (MDD). In fact, the American Psychiatric Association (APA), which classifies mental health conditions, describes SAD as “major depressive disorder with seasonal patterns.”
Seasonal affective disorder symptoms
SAD’s symptoms are similar to MDD and include:
- Feeling sad and despairing most or all of the time
- Weight gain from comfort eating and inactivity
- Chronic fatigue and listlessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability and agitation
- Hypersomnia (excessive sleepiness) or insomnia
- Fixation on death or suicide
Negative feelings like hopelessness, guilt, shame, self-loathing, and worthlessness are common. People who have SAD also lose interest in activities they usually enjoy and withdraw from family and friends.
Why seasonal affective disorder develops
It’s not clear why some people get seasonal affective disorder when most don’t. The most popular theory is a diminished amount of sunlight, which can have the following effects:
Brain chemical changes
Sunlight helps regulate serotonin, a neurotransmitter chemical that controls mood by relaying messages between the brain’s neurons (nerve cells). A lack of sunlight can reduce serotonin levels, triggering depression.
Biological clock disruption
The biological clock is an internal mechanism that regulates hormone levels, mood, and sleep. Reduced daylight disrupts the usual patterns of your biological clock, and it can’t adjust.
Vitamin D deficiency
Sunlight helps your skin make vitamin D, which you need to maintain serotonin levels. Reduced sunlight can result in a vitamin D deficiency and lower serotonin.
Excess melatonin
Melatonin affects sleep patterns and mood. Limited sunlight can trigger melatonin overproduction in some people, causing them to slow down and feel sleepy in winter.
Your genes might predispose you to SAD, and the risk is higher if you’re under stress.
Treating seasonal affective disorder
Several effective treatments are available for SAD, including:
Light therapy
The special lamps used for light therapy contain white fluorescent tubes behind a plastic screen that blocks harmful ultraviolet rays. The light these lamps produce is about 20 times as bright as a standard indoor light, with an intensity of around 10,000 lux.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT psychotherapy helps you learn to manage SAD’s effects on daily life.
Antidepressant medication
Antidepressants are often effective for depression. We may recommend that you combine medication with light therapy for better results.
Vitamin D supplement
Taking a dietary supplement containing vitamin D could increase serotonin and improve your mood.
Going outdoors
Increasing the time you spend outside boosts sunlight exposure. It can also help to increase the ability of sunlight to penetrate your home and workplace.
Preventing seasonal affective disorder
Once we diagnose you with SAD, you can help to prevent it in future winters with the following steps:
- Start using your light box in the fall before SAD symptoms set in
- Go outside for as long as you can every day, even when it’s cloudy
- Eat healthy foods for proper nutrition, and limit the carbs
- Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes three times a week
- Visit family and friends and arrange enjoyable activities
As experts in preventive healthcare, our dedicated team at Integrative Health DPC can help you with these measures. We may also recommend taking medication to stop SAD from developing each fall and continuing with regular CBT sessions.
You don’t need to dread winter coming because of seasonal affective disorder. Call to schedule an evaluation for SAD with one of Integrative Health DPC’s experienced providers, or request an appointment by completing the online booking form.