Is seasonal affective disorder any different from depression?
As the winter nights draw in, many of us start to feel a change in our mood and some may suffer from seasonal affective disorder.
The NHS describes seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as a form of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, where people feel better during the summer but experience a "winter depression".
It’s estimated that this condition affects around 2 million adults and children in the UK, and symptoms often include a persistent low mood, feeling lethargic or having low energy. SAD can also affect your physical health with higher chance of headaches, weight gain and a weaker immune system.
Gardener’s World host Monty Don admitted that winter is "the worst time" for him, as he struggles with this disorder, and it often manifests itself in a feeling of the "world pressing in on you".
The 69-year-old said on Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast: "I was long ago diagnosed with SAD – there's no question about it, that November and December are always the worst time for me – I can't bear them."
"It's a lot to do with the greyness, the lack of light and the general sense of the world just pressing in on you and no energy," he added.
Yet, this form of depression is more than just winter blues and the lack of daylight can actually be effecting our body functioning.
Clinical psychologist and mental health expert at Headspace, Dr Sophie Mort says: "While the exact cause of SAD isn’t fully understood yet, it’s often linked to the lack of exposure to sunlight we experience during the winter months.
"The reduced exposure can disrupt the hypothalamus (the part of our brain responsible for regulating our heart rate, body temperature, appetite, and the sleep-wake cycle), throwing a number of things off kilter.
"It can impact your circadian rhythm - your internal biological clock, as it relies on sunlight to time various functions throughout your day; like waking up and heading off to bed."
Research has also found that it causes imbalances in mood-regulating hormones, Dr. Mort says that may manifest as "excessive melatonin production (the hormone responsible for sleepiness) and insufficient serotonin production (the hormone influencing mood, appetite, and sleep)."
The limited hours of daylight and the drop in temperature can also reduce motivation to leave the house and socialise, which further impacts our mental health.
During the winter months it can be hard to determine whether these feelings of sadness, anxiety and social isolation are temporarily happening due to the season change or a sign of a more underlying, on-going mental health issue.
Dr. Mort says that though the symptoms for SAD are similar to depression, there are key indicators that you are experiencing SAD if your low mood follows a pattern and changes with the autumn and winter months.
She adds: "Non-seasonal depression doesn’t follow a clear pattern. If your symptoms ease during other times of the year, it is a strong indicator that it could be SAD. Some general signs that your mental health might be impacted by the change in season are:
Being more withdrawn from social activities
Loss of interest in hobbies or decline in performance at work of school
Frequent and extreme mood swings
Neglecting self-care
Unexplained physical symptoms i.e. headaches, stomach aches, fatigue
Increased or excessive use of alcohol or drugs to cope with emotional pain
Frequent expression of hopelessness"
Read more about seasonal affective disorder:
3 questions about seasonal affective disorder — SAD — for the psychiatrist who discovered it (Yahoo Life, 7-min read)
Seasonal affective disorder - or SAD - isn't just 'winter blues’ (Sky News, 5-min read)
Can kids get seasonal affective disorder? Here's what experts say. (Yahoo Life, 4-min read)
