What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

| Serin Center |

Some people go through emotional or mood changes when the season hits the colder or the winter season. This in fact is what is medically referred to as “seasonal affective disorder” (SAD) or most commonly known as the “winter blues”.

SAD usually takes place during the fall throughout the winter season. During this period, individuals who have this condition experiences huge change in their emotional and psychological well-being. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), SAD falls under the bracket of depressive disorder. In particular, experts refer to this condition as a major depressive disorder with social pattern.

A recent study of American Psychiatric Association (APA), reveals that about 5% of American adults experience having SAD and would last for 40%. Moreover, several factors such as a person’s geographical location, age, and sex. On that same study, it was found out that places that have fewer daylight hours during winter, women as well as younger people are prone to suffer from SAD.

What Causes Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

While the exact causes of SAD remain unclear, research has identified several contributing factors:

  • Reduced Sunlight Exposure: There’s real science behind why winter feels harder. Less sunlight literally alters the chemical balance in your brain, disrupting the delicate interplay of neurotransmitters that keep your mood stable and your energy up. For some people, these biochemical shifts are significant enough to trigger SAD, a form of depression that arrives with the darker months and lifts when spring returns.
  • Your Body’s Circadian Rhythm: Think of sunlight as your body’s reset button. When you don’t get enough, your internal clock—the one responsible in telling you when to wake up, when to feel alert, and when to wind down—starts running on the wrong time. This disruption doesn’t just mess with your sleep; it drags down your mood, saps your energy, and leaves you feeling emotionally off-balance.
  • Serotonin levels: Shorter winter days mean less sunlight and that matters more than you might think. Reduced sun exposure decreases vitamin D production, which directly impacts serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates mood, sleep, appetite, and digestion. Even a modest dip in serotonin levels can trigger depression and other mental health challenges, making those darker months feel heavier than just the weather.

What Are the Symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

SAD is a type of depression distinguished by which symptoms appearing and resolving in a consistent seasonal pattern each year. People who have it often experience symptoms for approximately 4-5 months annually. Some of the winter season-specific symptoms include: oversleeping and carbohydrate cravings, while summer season-pattern SAD often involves with insomnia and poor appetite.

Furthermore, the severity of symptoms tends to intensify significantly over time, with initially mild manifestations often developing into more debilitating conditions by mid-season.

Below are some SAD symptoms that share similarities with depression:

  • Having unwanted thoughts and doing self-harm
  • Increased appetite and carbohydrate cravings
  • Difficulty concentrating and completing tasks
  • Loss of interest or motivation to do anything
  • Feeling of hopelessness and worthlessness
  • Trouble getting enough rest and sleep
  • Feeling sad, anxious, and listlessness

Fall and winter SAD includes these distinct symptoms:

  • Overeating with subsequent weight gain
  • Tendency to oversleep or hypersomnia
  • Decreased energy level and fatigue
  • Social isolation or detachment

Spring and summer-pattern SAD, symptoms may include the following:

  • Difficulty of falling and staying asleep or insomnia
  • Reduced appetite leading to sudden weight loss
  • Increased feelings of irritability and agitation
  • Episodes of explosive or violent behavior
  • Feeling restless and anxious

Who is at higher risk for SAD?

A person walking through a snowy, wooded area during a heavy snowstorm - Serin Center

Certain groups face significantly higher risk for developing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Women are diagnosed with SAD more frequently than men, and younger adults have a higher risk than older adults, particularly those between ages 18-30.

People living far from the equator, where there are fewer daylight hours in winter, are at increased risk, with prevalence increasing at higher northern or southern latitudes. A family history of SAD, depression, or other mental illnesses like schizophrenia elevates risk, as does having existing mood disorders such as major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder.

Additional risk factors include low vitamin D levels, reduced serotonin activity, and comorbid conditions like ADHD, eating disorders, anxiety disorder, or panic disorder. People with bipolar disorder may be particularly susceptible to seasonal patterns where mania occurs in spring and summer while depression emerges in fall and winter. Interestingly, populations with high fish consumption, such as in Iceland and Japan, show unexpectedly low rates of SAD despite living at northern latitudes.

How do you diagnose SAD?

If you or a loved one suspect you might be suffering from SAD, it’s essential to consult with a psychiatrist or psychologist for proper assessment and diagnosis. Self-diagnosis can be misleading and may delay the treatment you need. SAD is a legitimate medical condition that requires professional evaluation to determine the most effective treatment approach, which may include therapy, medication, or light therapy tailored to your specific symptoms.

Early intervention can make a significant difference in managing symptoms and improving your quality of life throughout the darker months. Don’t wait until symptoms become overwhelming—reach out to a mental health professional as soon as you notice persistent changes in your mood, energy, or daily functioning that coincide with seasonal changes.

How do you treat SAD?

SAD can be effectively treated in several ways, including light therapy, antidepressant medications, talk therapy or some combination of these. Treatments fall into four main categories that can be used alone or in combination:

  • Light Therapy: Light therapy involves sitting in front of a light therapy box that emits a very bright light and filters out harmful ultraviolet rays. It usually requires 20 minutes or more per day, typically first thing in the morning, during the winter months. Most people see some improvements from light therapy within one or two weeks of beginning treatment. Light therapy and vitamin D are treatments specifically for winter-pattern SAD.
  • Antidepressant Medications: Medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can treat SAD by improving mood through regulating serotonin levels in the body. Common SSRIs include fluoxetine, escitalopram, paroxetine, sertraline, and citalopram. Another approved antidepressant called bupropion comes as an extended-release tablet and can prevent seasonal depression episodes if taken daily from fall to early spring.
  • Psychotherapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of talk therapy that research has shown effectively treats SAD, producing the longest-lasting effects of any treatment approach. Psychotherapy and antidepressants are used to treat depression in general, including winter- and summer-pattern SAD.
  • Lifestyle Modifications: Spending time outside or near a window can help ease symptoms through exposure to sunlight. Additional self-care strategies include normalizing sleep patterns, participating in regular physical activity, making healthy food choices, practicing stress management techniques like yoga or meditation, and avoiding alcohol or recreational drugs.

It’s important to work with a healthcare provider to determine the best treatment approach, as individual needs vary and combination treatments are often most effective.

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