Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Some people experience a serious mood change when the seasons change. They may sleep too much, have little energy, and crave sweets and starchy foods. They may also feel depressed. Though symptoms can be severe, they usually clear up. This condition is seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It usually happens during the winter. A less common type of SAD happens in the summer. What causes SAD? Some experts think it's a lack of sunlight during winter, when the days are shorter. In the United States, it is much more common in northern states. Light therapy, in which patients expose themselves to a special type of light for 30 minutes every day often helps.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a psychological condition in which individuals typically experience symptoms of depression during fall/winter months which remit during the spring/summer months. There are several proposed hypotheses put forward to explain the condition, as well as a range of effective treatment methods available to address the symptoms.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis

Genetics of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatment

Natural Remedies for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Latest Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) News and Research

New study links circadian gene variants to winter depression

Variants of the PER3 gene disrupt adrenal adaptation to winter light, leading to serotonin disruption and depression-like behaviors in humanized mice models.

13 Nov 2024

Johns Hopkins Medicine experts can provide tips for managing mental health amid the holiday season

The holidays are usually a time for joy and celebration. But, this merry season can be stressful for some folks.

5 Dec 2022

How a key brain network responds to seasonal shifts in day length

A recent paper examined the difference in neuronal communication in the hypothalamic network that regulates physiological function in response to the photoperiod.

8 Sep 2022

Study sheds light on how seasonal changes in day length alter the brain and subsequent behavior

Seasonal changes in light - longer days in summer, shorter in winter - have long been associated with human behaviors, affecting everything from sleep and eating patterns to brain and hormonal activity.

2 Sep 2022

Report quantifies health and wellbeing benefits of the UK's woodlands

Visits to the UK's woodlands boosts mental health and is estimated to save £185 million in treatment costs annually, a landmark report published by Forest Research finds today (4 December).

4 Dec 2021

Chemists identify a drug to rescue winter depression-like behavior

A group of animal biologists and chemists at the Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules, Nagoya University, has used a chemical genomics approach to explore the underlying mechanism of winter depression-like behavior and identified a drug that rescues winter depression-like behavior in medaka fish.

13 Apr 2020

Bright light therapy can be effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder

An analysis published in Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics documents the value of light therapy in treating seasonal affective disorder.

9 Apr 2020

Researchers decode the science behind good lighting

Researchers at UW Medicine have decoded what makes good lighting - lighting capable of stimulating the cone photoreceptor inputs to specific neurons in the eye that regulate circadian rhythms.

20 Feb 2020

Four important tips to stay safe and healthy during winter

Colder temperatures, inclement weather, changes in the amount of daylight, and the spread of cold and flu viruses can all have a significant impact on your winter well-being, making it more challenging for you to stay safe and healthy.

15 Nov 2019

Winter babies at 'higher risk of mental health disorders'

Babies born in winter may be at an increased risk of developing mental health disorders, as expectant mothers have higher levels of salivary cortisol.

5 Aug 2019

Novel midday bright light therapy decreases symptoms of depression in bipolar patients

Daily exposure to bright white light at midday significantly decreased symptoms of depression and increased functioning in people with bipolar disorder, a recent Northwestern Medicine study found.

11 Oct 2017

Study reveals link between tanning dependence and other addictive behaviors

Despite the known dangers of exposure to ultraviolet light, many people continue to sunbathe and use indoor tanning beds with some users exhibiting a dependence to tanning. A new study from the Yale School of Public Health finds that such dependence is also associated with other addictive behaviors.

21 Mar 2017

UCSF study finds specific molecular-genetic mechanism that links sleep and seasonal depression

A newly discovered human gene mutation appears to contribute both to unusual sleep patterns and to heightened rates of seasonal depression, according to new research from UC San Francisco.

23 Feb 2016

Survey provides no evidence that depressive symptoms vary from season to season

A large-scale survey of U.S. adults provides no evidence that levels of depressive symptoms vary from season to season, according to new research published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The findings are inconsistent with the notion of seasonal depression as a commonly occurring disorder.

21 Jan 2016

Lucimed offers Luminette light therapy glasses for people suffering from seasonally induced issues

For millions of people, the arrivalof fall and winter are unwelcome events. A change in seasons often brings a change in their physical and mental health, due to fewer hours of sunlight.

31 Oct 2015

Study: Bright light therapy reduces depression and agitation in dementia sufferers

Dementia is most often associated with memory loss, but seniors who suffer from the condition also experience depression and agitation. These symptoms are often treated with medication.

29 Sep 2015

Environmental stresses can help trigger depression in people vulnerable to SAD, post-holiday blues

The first Monday after the holidays can be a depressing time for people coping with a post-holiday letdown and a type of depression triggered by short days called seasonal affective disorder.

6 Jan 2014

Psychiatrist offers tips for dealing with holiday stress and sadness problems of the season

During the holidays, the goal should be to set the course somewhere "between Hallmark and heartache," a Vanderbilt psychiatrist says. In other words, don't strive for the perfect (you won't achieve it), and recognize and deal head-on with some of the stressors of the season.

23 Dec 2013

Study reveals benefits of bright light in treating anxiety

The bright light headset maker Valkee today announced the results of a new groundbreaking bright light study, showing statistically significant positive results in acutely alleviating anxiety symptoms. The world's first randomized, fully sham-controlled double blind trial of bright light treatment administered via ear canals brings sought-after new data to support the bright light studies carried out internationally since the 1980s.

21 Nov 2013

Study shows that individuals with SAD misreport sleep patterns due to depression

Lying awake in bed plagues everyone occasionally, but for those with seasonal affective disorder, sleeplessness is routine. University of Pittsburgh researchers report in the Journal of Affective Disorders that individuals with seasonal affective disorder -a winter depression that leads to loss of motivation and interest in daily activities-have misconceptions about their sleep habits similar to those of insomniacs.

28 Jun 2013

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Overview

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis

Genetics of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder Treatment

Feature Articles

Natural Remedies for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Latest Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) News and Research

New study links circadian gene variants to winter depression

Johns Hopkins Medicine experts can provide tips for managing mental health amid the holiday season

How a key brain network responds to seasonal shifts in day length

Study sheds light on how seasonal changes in day length alter the brain and subsequent behavior

Report quantifies health and wellbeing benefits of the UK's woodlands

Chemists identify a drug to rescue winter depression-like behavior

Bright light therapy can be effective treatment for seasonal affective disorder

Researchers decode the science behind good lighting

Four important tips to stay safe and healthy during winter

Winter babies at 'higher risk of mental health disorders'

Novel midday bright light therapy decreases symptoms of depression in bipolar patients

Study reveals link between tanning dependence and other addictive behaviors

UCSF study finds specific molecular-genetic mechanism that links sleep and seasonal depression

Survey provides no evidence that depressive symptoms vary from season to season

Lucimed offers Luminette light therapy glasses for people suffering from seasonally induced issues

Study: Bright light therapy reduces depression and agitation in dementia sufferers

Environmental stresses can help trigger depression in people vulnerable to SAD, post-holiday blues

Psychiatrist offers tips for dealing with holiday stress and sadness problems of the season

Study reveals benefits of bright light in treating anxiety

Study shows that individuals with SAD misreport sleep patterns due to depression

PhD researcher at LifeArc

Unveiling Hidden Potential: Organoids for Disease Modeling in Neuroscience Research

How GLP‑1 Agonists Are Shaping the Future of Obesity Treatment With Dr Bryony Henderson

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Overview

Feature Articles

Natural Remedies for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Latest Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) News and Research

PhD researcher at LifeArc

Unveiling Hidden Potential: Organoids for Disease Modeling in Neuroscience Research

How GLP‑1 Agonists Are Shaping the Future of Obesity Treatment With Dr Bryony Henderson

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