

Another criteria for diagnosis is having experienced SAD symptoms in a specific season every year for at least two consecutive years. While these symptoms can happen to anyone, they must seriously impact one’s mood, behavior and daily life in order to be considered a SAD diagnosis. Feelings of hopelessness, despair, worthlessness, or guilt.Appetite changes such as craving or eating more carbs.

For winter SAD, excessive sleep is more common Sleep changes - either difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much.Loss of interest in activities that used to be enjoyable.Fatigue and low energy, even with lots of sleep.Here are some of the common symptoms of SAD: SAD symptoms are similar to those of depression. Less sunlight could also create a Vitamin D deficiency for some people, which could lead to depressive symptoms as Vitamin D may be linked to serotonin activity. Together, reduced serotonin and increased melatonin can lead to mood or behavior changes, as our bodies become out of sync with its normal rhythm. Specifically, less sunlight could cause a reduction in serotonin - the neurotransmitter that regulates our mood - along with an increase in melatonin - the hormone that maintains our sleep cycle. Shorter daylight hours and less sunlight in the winter might cause chemical imbalances in our brain. Researchers believe SAD symptoms are linked to our brain chemistry. Read on to learn more about SAD and how you can cope with it. With this year’s COVID-19 pandemic, some medical experts worry that things could be even more difficult for people with SAD, as the winter months meet the fatigue and uncertainty many people are already experiencing. It typically starts between ages 18 and 30, and is more common in people with other mental disorders, like depression, bipolar disorder, or anxiety disorders. adults experience SAD, and it’s more common in women according to. SAD can also occur in the summer months, but that’s less common.Ībout 5 percent of U.S. You may have heard people refer to it as seasonal depression. It’s normal if your mood dips, and some people might experience symptoms that resemble depression.Įxperiencing depression-like symptoms in the winter - or months leading up to winter - is known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. The weather is gloomier, days are shorter, and there’s less sunlight for us to soak in. If you find winter more difficult to get through compared to the rest of the year, you’re not alone.
