Last week, when it was cloudy and or rainy for many consecutive days, I got a bit irritated and down in the dumps. I think some of it may have had to do with the fact that I neglected to bring rain boots, or a rain jacket, or even an umbrella to school with me. Therefore, those couple of days were not the happiest days for me. Then, I began to wonder if you can actually people’s moods can actually be affected by the weather. Actually, there is a condition in which people get more than a little ticked that they forgot to bring their umbrella- it’s called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.

SAD is a form of bipolar and or depressive disorder in which one can actually be depressed during a certain time of the year, due to the weather. SAD is most common in the winter, due to the fact that the disease may be linked to the amount of light someone is exposed to. SAD could occur because someone’s circadian rhythm, more commonly know as your “biological clock” could be offset by the lack of daylight experienced during the cold winter months. Another light related issue that could be linked to SAD is the lack of light can cause an over-production of melatonin, a chemical in the brain that assists with mood and our sleeping patterns. Reduced sunlight can also cause a drop in another type of chemical in the brain, called serotonin, which affects moods and can cause depression.

However, SAD can still exist in the summer. Summer SAD also could occur because of light. Instead of lack of light, overexposure to light could be the cause of Summer SAD. Other studies show that it might be linked to heat, or even allergies. Specifically, pollen can be linked to changes in mood, and those who are allergic to pollen may be depressed in the summer because of these mood changes. Unfortunately, the amount of research done on summer SAD is not as extensive, because only 10% of people with SAD suffer in the summer months.

So, how can someone tell that they have SAD? Well, although there are differences between summer SAD and winter SAD: “Both summer SAD and winter SAD people can experience the full range of symptoms of major depressive disorder—depressed mood, hopelessness and feelings of worthlessness and nihilism,” said Ian Cook, of UCLA’s depression and research program.  But other than that, winter SAD and summer SAD have completely opposite symptoms.

Winter SAD: Symptoms of Winter SAD often begin around now, when the weather is beginning to change and the days are getting shorter. Signs that you may have SAD during the winter months include:

• being more sensitive than usual
• craving fattening food and weight gain
• low energy and oversleeping
• heaviness in the arms and legs
• problems cooperating with others

If you or someone you know has these symptoms, perhaps contacting a doctor would be smart. In fact, if it is true that you are suffering from these types of symptoms, and you think you may have winter SAD, there are ways to feel better again. Although there is no one specific mechanism that scientists have been able to link to SAD, something called “light therapy” has proven to help the disease’s victims. Light therapy is simply a machine that can be used in your home that mimics outdoor light. The exposure to the light may cause an upward shift in mood.

Summer SAD: Summer SAD begins once the world begins to warm up again, and sun shines for longer. Signs that you may have SAD during these months are  include:

• general depression
• having trouble sleeping or insomnia
• poor appetite and loss of weight
• irritability or anxiety

Again, if you or someone you know seems to have these symptoms in the summer months, perhaps contacting a doctor would be best. Treatments for summer SAD are not as researched, since, as I said before, it is not as common. Basically, SAD in the summer months is treated like general depression- with therapy sessions and antidepressants.

Perhaps the winter months will get some of us a bit down, due to the fact that it’s cold and dreary and our beds seem so much more inviting than class. And the same goes for summer, people with pollen allergies may just want to stay inside and blow their noses in peace. But watch out for symptoms of SAD, because they can be serious and harmful. That being said, have a great winter, Happy Valley.