Winter is coming — the air is cold, the days are short and spending the night curled up on the couch watching TV sounds, to some, like a good plan.
But these weeks can also cause overeating, oversleeping and social withdrawal in an estimated 10% of the population.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that can emerge between the late fall and early spring. People who suffer from SAD can feel lethargic, overeat, withdraw from social interactions and have trouble keeping up their daily life schedule.
“It can change their mood, attitude, mindset — everything,” said Christopher Fisher, a psychologist and director of the adult outpatient psychiatry department at Northwell Zucker Hillside Hospital, in Glen Oaks. “Some of this results from the exposure to less sunlight, less time to get things done to find that balance between work, parenting or school.”
A recent review of scientific literature reported about 6% of the U.S. population suffers from SAD, while another 14% experience subsyndromal seasonal affective disorder, a more mild form of the disorder.
“I think this is an underdiagnosed condition,” Fisher said. “More people experience this but don’t seek help for it … they suffer in silence.”
Winter-pattern SAD is different from what some people call the “holiday blues,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health. While the “holiday blues” are marked by sadness or anxiety due to stress over those particular events, SAD is caused by lack of daylight hours.
“SAD typically does improve in the spring and summer,” said Stephanie Marcello, chief psychologist at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care. “It’s linked to daylight savings and this disruption of our internal clock.”
Marcello said the changing of the clocks to standard time lowers the level of serotonin in our bodies, the naturally occurring chemical known as a mood booster.
“Once there is more light in the day, your body’s rhythm resets and you have more serotonin so your mood and energy may improve,” she said.
Instead of waiting for the days to get longer, experts suggest that people suffering from SAD take small steps to get them back into a routine.
“Small achievable goals help build momentum,” Fischer said.
People can start by just sitting near the windows and taking in the sunlight, and by keeping to a regular sleep schedule.
“If I know I am working with someone and these symptoms tend to get elevated this time of year, I want to get these routines established,” she said. “We know exercise is essential for so many things, especially mood. It doesn’t have to be a rigorous workout. It could be a 20-minute walk.”
Walking with a friend or neighbor adds the bonus of a social component, Marcello said. Or, you can sit by a window and FaceTime a friend.
“You don’t want to avoid connections, sit at home, eat a lot of carbohydrates and be on your phone,” she said.
Both Marcello and Fisher said if a person’s symptoms are so serious they are causing impairment to their daily functions, they should consult with a mental health professional. Treatments for SAD can include medication and the use of artificial light.
Artificial light therapy usually comes in the form of a light box or lamp.
The box “mimics outdoor light” and “may cause a chemical change in the brain” that eases SAD symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. People should consult with a clinician before using a light box because there are concerns for people who have glaucoma and other eye-related issues.
In general, the box should be designed to have a minimum of ultra violet light and people should not look directly at the light. Some suggest using the box the first hour a person is awake.
Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.