What do the winter blues and SAD feel like?

• Significant, lasting, downturn of mood
• Apathy; loss of feelings
• Irritability
• Less energy
• Fatigue
• Boredom
• Overeating; weight gain
• Cravings for carbohydrates
• Sleeping too much; difficulty waking up or staying awake
• Less interest in being around other people
• Less interest in activities one used to like

How are the winter blues different from clinical depression?

• The winter blues are a subclinical (or mild) version of SAD
• SAD is a clinical depression that occurs during the winter months
• It dissipates during the spring and summer months
• To be diagnosed as having SAD, rather than a first occurrence of depression, one must have a pattern of recurring depression during the winter months

How common is it?

• Between 10-20% of Americans may suffer from mild symptoms associated with the winter blues
• Seasonal affective disorder (or SAD) may affect 5% of the population
• About 1% of people in Florida get SAD; about 10% of people in New Hampshire get SAD

Why do we get the winter blues?

• SAD has been linked to a biochemical imbalance brought on by the shortening of daylight hours and a lack of sunlight in winter
• Your mood is partly influenced by sunlight, melatonin, serotonin, and vitamin D (cholecalciferol)
  • Melatonin (sleep hormone) decreases when it is light
  • Serotonin (hormone associated with wakefulness and elevated mood) increases when it is light
  • Vitamin D helps the body maintain ↑ levels of serotonin during the winter 
  • Light stimulates the production of cholecalciferol, which the body eventually transforms into vitamin D

What are the risk factors?

• Limited light exposure
• Younger people and women
• Distance from the equator
• Predispositions to clinical depression
• January and February – the most difficult months
• Feeling let down after the holidays

How do I prevent the winter blues?

• Expose yourself to light
• Keep a regular routine/schedule
• Have a regular pattern of sleep; get enough sleep
• Exercise regularly
• Do fun things
• Eat in a healthy way; avoid overeating

How do I increase my exposure to light?

• Expose yourself to the sun during the winter
• Do an outdoor activity or ritual daily
• Take a long walk outside
• Arrange your indoor environment so that you are exposed to a window during the day; exercise near a window or outside
• Take breaks outside
• Expose yourself to more sun during the summer
• This may help you build up a store of cholecalciferol that lasts through the fall
• The amount of serotonin you have in the winter may be affected by your exposure to light the previous summer
• Remember to use sunscreen and avoid peak hours
• Use brighter full spectrum (also known as broad spectrum) light bulbs in your home/office

What do I do if I think I might have the winter blues?

• Consult a health professional
  • Symptoms of SAD can be confused with other medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism or viral infections like mononucleosis
  • Evaluation by a medical professional is crucial
• Light therapy (phototherapy)
  • Exposure to very bright light (usually from a special fluorescent lamp) for 30 minutes each day during the winter months
  • Dawn simulation with an incandescent light on a timer in your bedroom
• Psychotherapy
• Antidepressants
• A combination of the above

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