Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) explained

Four times more women are affected by SAD than men, so if the winter months leave you feeling sad and sleepy, you could well be a sufferer. Dr Sarah Brewer advises



Seasonal affective disorder - also known as SAD - is a form of depression that comes on when exposure to natural sunlight is reduced. Symptoms tend to last from November to March, with complete remission during the summer months. A milder form of winter depression - often called sub-syndromal SAD or January Blues - can also occur, and tends to start around two months later. The symptoms of SAD usually recur each year and, in fact, the diagnosis is only usually made when someone has had three winters of symptoms - two of which are consecutive - with symptoms improving during the summer months. Interestingly, some people get a rebound mild hypomania (a form of hyperactivity) in spring and summer, too.



How common is it?


Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects an estimated one in 20 adults, with another one in ten experiencing the milder sub-syndromal SAD. For some reasons, four times more women are affected than men, and it is most common in younger adults between the ages of 20 to 40 years.

What are the symptoms?


A wide range of symptoms are associated with SAD. These can be divided into physical and emotional symptoms as follows:



Physical Symptoms

Tiredness
Lethargy
General slowing down
Sleepiness
Difficulty staying awake
Food cravings
Over-eating
Weight gain
Low sex drive
Feeling the cold
Muscle aches and pains
Lowered immunity
Period problems