By Mary Windsor, Staff Writer

Published in print Jan 14, 2015.

Surviving the woes of winter is no joke. From biting winds to slick precipitation, there seems to be little to love once the holidays have passed. If watching the sunset at 4 p.m. and waking up to a freezing morning puts a damper on your mood, you may have Seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

SAD is a subgroup of major depression, and often mimics its symptoms. Signs of SAD tend to show up when fall begins to transition into winter, and often worsen as the season progresses. Seasonal depression is often a side effect of major depression and is four times more likely to affect women than men, according to SAD experts.

Nearly everyone feels the blues in the wintertime, but when it starts to disrupt your every day life and impact your ability to have healthy relationships with others, it’s time to reach out a professional for an evaluation.

Rose Brooks, a senior at UNCG, noticed that when she studied abroad in Wales, her mood quickly fell as the winter months rolled around.

“I felt drained and like I had no energy,” said Brooks. “It was always cloudy and rainy. I missed the sun, during my four months stay I only experienced two days of full sun. While there, I sought out help and was diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder and given an anti-depressant to take during my time there.”

SAD can show up at any age, and since it’s not quite common knowledge, often goes unnoticed and undiagnosed. SAD is generally associated with winter but can happen in other seasons, as well. Some may come across a similar “summer depression” during the late spring and summer months. One of the major distinctions of SAD is that it occurs during the same time each year, for at least two years in a row, with a remission period between relapses.

Spending as much time as you can in the sun is one way to combat SAD. Doctors recommend studying outside in the afternoon, or waking up early and watching the sunrise. Vitamin D from sunlight raises serotonin and dopamine levels, which your body lacks as it digresses in SAD. Both serotonin and dopamine play a role in mood.

Finding “winter activities” are also recommended. This will help motivate you to stay active during the winter months and give you something to look forward too. Ice skating, baking new foods and starting a reading club with friends. Joining a gym or fitness club can also help naturally release endorphins. Taking a walk around your neighbor can also help as it’s physical activity and allows you to spend time outside in natural light.

Getting a “light box” is also an option that many people with SAD use. These compact boxes emit a bright light that wakes up your body in the morning and decreases melatonin that makes you feel sleepy.