As the days get colder and the sun sets earlier, you may notice a change in your mood and energy levels. It’s not a coincidence that this happens during the fall and winter months — there’s an underlying reason for this shift. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that recurs with a seasonal pattern and impacts about 5% of adults in the U.S., according to the American Psychiatric Association.
Since it’s the time of year when SAD is most prevalent, let’s explore its causes and symptoms and the steps you can take to support your well-being.
What Causes Seasonal Affective Disorder?
For many years, researchers have examined and theorized about the underlying causes of SAD. The current predominant theory is that it’s caused by a dysregulation of serotonin (a neurotransmitter commonly associated with mood regulation) and overproduction of melatonin (a hormone produced by the body in response to darkness that causes sleepiness). The combined effects of decreased serotonin and increased melatonin production may contribute to common symptoms associated with SAD, such as depressed mood and lower energy.
Identifying and Understanding Symptoms
Seasonal affective disorder can look different for everyone, with symptoms and severity varying from person to person. An important first step in managing the disorder is identifying your symptoms and assessing the level of distress and disruption each symptom causes. Symptoms associated with seasonal affective disorder can present in a variety of ways.
Cognitive symptoms can affect emotional expression, thought patterns, mood, and the ability to focus. Examples of this include an increase in negative thoughts about yourself, a decrease in motivation to manage responsibilities, and an increase in feelings of frustration or irritability. Physical symptoms associated with seasonal affective disorder may include lower energy levels, an increase in body aches, pain or tension, changes in appetite or body weight, and increased physical restlessness.
Identifying the specific symptoms that are impacting your brain and body is an important part of understanding how SAD is affecting you. Once you’ve made a comprehensive list of symptoms, the next step is to identify which symptoms cause the most disruption or distress. Identifying the more disruptive and distressing symptoms can help you find the most effective and proactive coping strategies for managing SAD.
Supporting Your Well-Being
Here are a few methods you can try to help manage the symptoms of SAD:
Opposite Action
One approach is the use of opposite action techniques. Opposite action is a strategy derived from a therapeutic approach called Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Opposite action targets urges driven by an intense and often distressing emotion and offers an alternative action that can help individuals respond to these emotions in a more constructive way. DBT may help manage some of the cognitive and physical symptoms associated with seasonal affective disorder. To practice opposite action, identify the urge connected to the most disruptive and distressing SAD symptom, evaluate how acting on that urge could cause harm or become unhelpful, identify the action that would be the opposite of the original urge, then commit to the opposite action and take note of how your brain and body respond.
Engagement in Hobbies
A strategy that can pair well with the opposite action approach is increased engagement with your interests and hobbies. Common SAD-related symptoms, such as an increase in negative thoughts and decrease in motivation, may be addressed and potentially lessened through engagement in enjoyable activities. This may help the body and brain build increased resilience by providing an outlet to shift attention away from stressors and towards activities of pleasure and leisure. It demonstrates to the brain that there is diversity in the human experience and builds a more balanced perception of reality.
Light Therapy
Light therapy is another recommended approach to address SAD-related symptoms. Drawing from the theory that melatonin production contributes to the presence of SAD, this method may aid the body and brain in adjusting to decreased sunlight during the fall and winter months. You can practice light therapy by going outside during daylight hours for a period of time or using a light that mimics the bright light radiated from the sun. Actively increasing light exposure during the beginning of seasonal changes may help aid in a smoother transition for the brain and body to adjust and potentially decrease the severity of experienced SAD symptoms.
Like any new skill, these methods take practice, so give yourself time and grace as you discover which actions work best for you in managing seasonal affective disorder.
