Does the Onset of Winter Weather Make You SAD?

Cures for Seasonal Affective Disorder

For many people, the first chilly days of autumn are a welcome retreat. After summer heat that seems to stick around longer every year, most of us look forward to the change in temperature and the shortened days. There's nothing like curling up cozily in front of a roaring fire with a cup of hot cocoa to welcome the change of season.

But for an estimated ten to twenty percent of the world's population, the colder temperatures and shorter daylight hours that signal the shift to autumn and then winter can trigger unwelcome feelings of depression. The syndrome is known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, and it is especially prevalent in regions with severe winter weather, such as Alaska and the Scandinavian and Nordic countries.

The symptoms of SAD vary from person to person, but they often include feelings of sadness, lack of motivation, lethargy, and hopelessness. In severe cases, SAD impedes sufferers' ability to function normally. Hospitalization is sometimes required, especially if the patient is experiencing suicidal impulses.

Because SAD affects so many people around the world, researchers have focused a great deal of attention on efforts to delve into possible causes and cures for the disorder. This week, we'll review the results of several recent studies that have attempted to unlock part of the SAD puzzle.

Researchers Identify SAD Subtypes and Treatments

The diagnosis of seasonal affective disorder has only become widely accepted as valid in the medical community over the course of the last several decades. Now that the existence of SAD is universally agreed upon, researchers have begun the difficult task of describing the symptoms of the disorder and developing possible treatments.

Researchers at Loyola University recently undertook a major literature review of the current sum total of SAD-related research and information. According to their findings, there are now three major types of seasonal affective disorder. Standard SAD is related to winter weather, while the much rarer reverse seasonal affective disorder (RSAD) affects people when winter gives way to warmer weather in the spring and summer. Rarer still is year-round SAD, which primarily impacts people who live or work in windowless, dark environments.

The most common forms of treatment for SAD include sessions under lights designed to mimic sunlight, treatment with anti-depression medication, and standard psychotherapy. According to the researchers, several promising new treatments may be available to SAD sufferers in the next few years, including more targeted pharmaceutical medications.

Daylight Savings' Time May Contribute to SAD

The autumnal ritual of setting clocks back an hour may trigger SAD episodes in millions, according to the results of a recent study conducted by scientists at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany.

The researchers found that the "fall back" tradition that dramatically shortens daylight hours can impact the body's cycle for sleeping and waking, known as the Circadian rhythm. Even the small difference of an hour can cause major disruptions over the course of an entire season, according to the research team. Sleeping difficulties, fatigue, and SAD-like symptoms could be the result of this shift.

Although they acknowledge that more research is needed before a final determination is made, the researchers called for further inquiry into Daylight Savings' possible negative health impacts.

SAD Categorized as a Form of Major Depression

For decades, the diagnosis of SAD was belittled and trivialized by many in the medical profession. However, researchers are now beginning to acknowledge the potential seriousness of the disorder, clearing the way for studies designed to develop treatments to ease the suffering of those whose moods are negatively impacted by the advent of winter.

To this end, researchers at the University of Rochester recently undertook a comparative assessment of the symptoms of SAD sufferers. According to their findings, SAD shares many symptoms with a diagnosis of major clinical depression, and it can impede normal cognition and functioning to the same degree.

The researchers further discovered that even severe cases of SAD often go formally undiagnosed. They surmised that this is probably partly due to the fact that SAD sufferers and their doctors continue to dismiss the disorder as insignificant. The team recommended measures to instill a greater public awareness of the disorder, as well as new treatment guidelines that align with the current recommendations for the treatment of depression.

If you're concerned about "winter depression," talk to your doctor, a licensed therapist, or another credentialed helping professional. Check back each week for more of the health science news you need.