What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern.

SAD is sometimes known as “winter depression” because the symptoms are usually more apparent and more severe during the winter. A few people with SAD may have symptoms during the summer and feel better during the winter.

What causes SAD?

The exact cause of SAD is not fully understood, but it’s often linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter autumn and winter days.

The main theory is that a lack of sunlight might stop a part of the brain called the hypothalamus working properly, which may affect the:

• Production of melatonin – melatonin is a hormone that makes you feel sleepy; in people with SAD, the body may produce it in higher than normal levels
• Production of serotonin – serotonin is a hormone that affects your mood, appetite and sleep; a lack of sunlight may lead to lower serotonin levels, which is linked to feelings of depression
• Body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) – your body uses sunlight to time various important functions, such as when you wake up, so lower light levels during the winter may disrupt your body clock and lead to symptoms of SAD

It’s also possible that some people are more vulnerable to SAD as a result of their genes, as some cases appear to run in families.

Here are some ways to support you or your child through the next couple of months:

Keep Cool:

Professor Andrea Danese collaborated with young people to create KeepCool, a series of educational videos designed to give young people a platform to share their experiences of difficult emotions and discuss how they cope with them.

KeepCool focuses on fundamental emotions like anxiety, sadness, and anger rather than psychiatric disorders.

Spend time in nature:

Spending time in nature can help improve your mood and wellbeing Last week, research from the Urban Mind Project

found that seeing or hearing birds is linked with an improvement in mental wellbeing that can last up to 8 hours.

Going with the flow:

Futher research from the Urban Mind Project, published last month, found that there was a link between spending time by canals and rivers and feeling happy and healthy. 

Music for the mind:

Professor Sally Marlow is the BBC’s first researcher in residence where she is exploring ideas around mental health, music, arts & creativity. For World Mental Health Day 2022, she produced a mood-boosting mixtape in collaboration with BBC Radio 3. 

Talking therapy:

There are options for talking therapies – such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or counselling