Dealing with Seasonal Affective Disorder This Winter

Just before you go your home, your car, as well as your closet for the winter months, it is a good time for you to evaluate your mental health and make a plan for the season. Many people may struggle once the time changes and early darkness sets in. Based on Mental Health America, seasonal depression-also called seasonal affective disorder (SAD)-is a subtype of depression or bpd that typically happens in the wintertime months.

The first time a person experiences SAD, they may feel depression start to lift when spring arrives. Recognizing that pattern makes it predictable and can help with prevention or reduction.

Signs and Symptoms of SAD

SAD has numerous of the same signs and symptoms as major depression. What to watch for:

• Depressed mood.


• Appetite changes.


• Changes in sleeping pattern.


• Fatigue and lethargy.


• Feelings of sadness and hopelessness.

The exact reasons for SAD are unclear. But many theories point to reduced daylight hours and limited exposure to sunlight. Your body's internal clock gets disrupted and leaves you with less energy. The body may produce too much of the brain hormone melatonin, and then leave you feeling drowsy.

Taking Positive Steps to avoid SAD

For those struggling with depression and anxiety year-round, SAD can cause a danger to their mental health. You need to have a toolbox to draw from and be ready to cope with the winter. As with other kinds of depression, it's important to reach out to family and friends and let them provide support. It certainly is vital that you reach out to mental health care professionals when you are experiencing difficulties. The things that work for one person may not work for another, so understanding what lifts your spirits is essential here.

The Advantages of Sunlight

As we're all preparing for our first winter inside a pandemic, we don't understand what to expect. But we should remember that as darker, shorter days roll into the frame, so will the potential for SAD.

Getting a brief walk outside in the sun light makes SAD easier. Even sitting with a window or driving around outside during the hours of sunlight might help.

If we are already feeling some hopelessness after many months of confinement, it's going to be a significant challenge this season. Knowing what to look for always helps, and creating a plan of action before winter arrives is the best approach.

Be Proactive About Your Mental Health!

Seasonal Affective Disorder might be especially difficult this year. So many people are already experiencing mental health symptoms because of the uncertainty all around the pandemic and also the fears of rising Covid-19 cases. We know winter is coming, so let's be proactive and put healthy habits into place that can get us through this hard time.