As the days become shorter and the temperature continues to drop, it’s easy to understand why some people may be feeling more down than usual. Especially in a city like Chicago, where the cold temperatures are only amplified by the gusts of wind that seem ever-present.
But what if these factors are not just making you sad and lazy, but extremely depressed? Like, “I don’t want to get out of bed today or any other day this week” depressed?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a real condition that usually occurs during certain times of the year–most times during the winter, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. SAD occurs more often in women than men and usually begins around the adolescent years.
There are a slew of symptoms that could be identifying factors for the disorder, including increased appetite and sleep, loss of interest in work or social activities and unhappiness or irritability–similar to symptoms of depression.
Because SAD is a real condition, only a doctor can diagnose you, but there are many treatments that you can try yourself if you think you might have it.
- Take a long walk outside during daylight hours
- Excercise regularly
- Be social as much as possible
- Fight the urge to take so many naps during the day. Sleeping your day away will only make matters worse!