This Saturday is the winter solstice, marking the beginning of winter. Many look forward to the festive events taking place, but for the 10 million Americans struggling with seasonal affective disorder it can mean dark times ahead.

What is seasonal affective disorder?

Seasonal affective disorder is recurrent episodes of depression, mania, or hypomania with seasonal onset and remission. Typically, it starts in late fall/early winter and subsides in late spring/early summer.

What are typical symptoms of seasonal affective disorder?

• Depressed mood.
• Decreased interest in pleasurable activities.
• Insomnia or hypersomnia (individuals may often describe sleeping 1 hour more than warmer seasons).
• Fatigue or decreased energy.
• Change in appetite or weight.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Feelings of guilt or worthlessness.
• Restlessness or psychomotor slowing.
• Suicidal thoughts.
• Mania: extreme mood swings, high energy.
• Hypomania: elevated mood and energy that is less severe than mania.

What treatment options are currently available?

• Antidepressants.
• Light therapy: there are several products available on the market. Per Yale School of Medicine, the light should be at least 10,000 lux, 20x brighter than regular indoor light. Individuals do best if they use the light box for at least 30 minutes in the morning, before 8 a.m. Some boxes are more costly than others. Check with your healthcare team and insurance company for a prescription and coverage, respectively.
• Talk therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), can help with reframing unhelpful thoughts surrounding cold weather, dark days and associated recurrent symptoms.

What steps can you take to prevent some of these symptoms?

• Get outdoors in natural light, especially within the first couple hours of waking.
• Be physically active.
• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

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