Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer. Don't brush off that yearly feeling as simply a case of the "winter blues" or a seasonal funk that you have to tough out on your own.
Take steps to keep your mood and motivation steady throughout the year. In most cases, seasonal affective disorder symptoms appear during late fall or early winter and go away during the sunnier days of spring and summer. Less commonly, people with the opposite pattern have symptoms that begin in spring or summer. In either case, symptoms may start out mild and become more severe as the season progresses. Symptoms specific to summer-onset seasonal affective disorder, sometimes called summer depression, may include:.
In some people with bipolar disorder, spring and summer can bring on symptoms of mania or a less intense form of mania hypomania , and fall and winter can be a time of depression. It's normal to have some days when you feel down. But if you feel down for days at a time and you can't get motivated to do activities you normally enjoy, see your doctor.
This is especially important if your sleep patterns and appetite have changed, you turn to alcohol for comfort or relaxation, or you feel hopeless or think about suicide. The specific cause of seasonal affective disorder remains unknown. Some factors that may come into play include:. Seasonal affective disorder is diagnosed more often in women than in men. And SAD occurs more frequently in younger adults than in older adults. Take signs and symptoms of seasonal affective disorder seriously.
As with other types of depression, SAD can get worse and lead to problems if it's not treated. These can include:. Treatment can help prevent complications, especially if SAD is diagnosed and treated before symptoms get bad. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Low light in the wintertime can confuse your circadian rhythm.
Women are more likely to develop SAD than men. Luckily, as you get older, your risk of SAD decreases. Other risk factors include living in places that are far from the equator, and a family history of depression or SAD. Your doctor can help you narrow down the best treatment for you if you have SAD.
Here are some common options. Sitting next to a bright lamp built specifically for SAD relief can help correct chemical imbalances. SAD lamps are used at home, usually for about 30 minutes each day. Many people who experience depression use medication to help them feel their best.
Sometimes people with SAD start taking medication in late summer to get ahead of the changes in mood brought on by winter months. Getting regular support during the winter months can help you manage symptoms like negative thoughts.
Counselling is a great way to put your seasonal depression into perspective. There are things you can work into your routines that relieve symptoms of depression. Physical activity releases chemicals like endorphins that improve your mood.
Eating a diet low in sugar helps regulate your hormones, which also keep your emotions level. Your light box should have 10, lux exposure. A bright sunny day is 50, lux or more. Don't stare. Keep your eyes open, but don't look directly at the light. Keep the box in front of you or just off to the side and about a foot away. Get enough time. You should absorb light for about 30 minutes a day.
You don't have to do it all at once, either. Light therapy is relatively safe, although there can be some minor, temporary side effects like headaches and irritability.
Also, some medications, especially antibiotics like tetracycline, can make your skin more sensitive to light, and if you have a family history of macular degeneration, exposure to light therapy over the years may increase your risk. If any of these situations applies, check with your doctor before trying light therapy. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
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