For Washingtonians, winter is a dark time. It tends to be cloudy and rainy the entire winter season. In climates like ours, you may experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is described as a depression that occurs during the winter season due to lack of light. You may also be familiar with the phrase “the winter blues”. There are different levels of SAD. For some it interrupts daily life and normal stress becomes overwhelming. However for many it is a much milder case of depression including increased sleep and increased eating.

Exactly what is SAD? One idea is that your body isn’t producing enough serotonin. Exposure to light may stimulate more serotonin production. Another theory is that melatonin produced in the pineal gland in your brain is the problem. This seems logical because there are direct connections between your retina and your pineal gland, so it would seem that if your retina was not getting enough light it would affect the pineal gland and thus affecting the melatonin in your body. Melatonin is a sleep related hormone. Those are just two theories. However, it is widely accepted that SAD is due to a lack of sunlight in the winter months.

If you think you have SAD, there are some symptoms you should look out for. Here are the most common ones:

• Increased sleep
• Increased eating
• Loss of energy
• Not enjoying activities you usually do, including sex
• Becoming more anti-social
• Being especially anxious
• Having a tougher time at work Not being able to handle as much stress as usual

Remember there are different severities of SAD. You could be struck with a mild version and be able to cope just fine through the winter months. On the other hand, it may be more severe for you in which case you may need to see a doctor.

Treatment for SAD is very possible and tends to be extremely simple. One way to treat SAD is to use a light box. Light boxes shine light that is at least 10000 lux. People who have used a light box for about an hour or two a day have had an 85% success rate. Another easy way to help SAD is to take a medication. Medications such as Zoloft and Paxil have been proven effective in many cases also. Lastly, you can talk to your doctor about doing some cognitive therapy. For many sufferers two treatments are used in combination. A patient may use light box therapy in addition to medication for example. If you have any questions or want to make an appointment you can always call us. If you would like to try a light box, we recommend these:  http://www.sunbox.com,