There are around 3 million reported cases of seasonal depression in the U. S. per year.
Do you find it difficult to wake up or stay motivated during the cold months of winter? If so, you may have seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.
The condition is a type of depression that starts in the fall and continues into the winter months, when there’s typically less sunlight.
Dr. Elias Shaya, director of behavioral health services at MedStar Harbor Hospital in Baltimore, says SAD involves more than just feeling down.
« It persists. It doesn’t get better, and it involves several things, » he explains. « The person is sad, feeling irritable, they really don’t have any interests. Pleasurable activities are no longer pleasurable. Their sleep is disturbed frequently, they end up sleeping a lot more, and they never really feel like they are sleeping enough or resting enough. »
Doctors believe SAD can be triggered by a lack of vitamin D, which comes from the sun. It can be treated with anti-depressants and vitamin D supplements. A light therapy box can also mimic sunlight during the shorter days of winter.
