Do you notice that your mood or energy levels seem to dip in the winter months? You are not alone.
Many people, especially those living in a northern climate like Edmonton, notice these changes when the days get shorter and colder. The 'winter blues' is not an official diagnosis, and symptoms tend to be mild and short lived; such as fatigue, stress or low mood in the fall and winter.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mental health diagnosis, and involves a more significant negative affect on daily functioning that resembles depression, and is seasonal with the onset during fall and symptoms resolve in late spring. Symptoms include fatigue, low mood, withdrawing from social activities, isolation and weight gain.
The winter blues and seasonal affective disorder are brought on by the change in seasons with shorter days and less exposure to sunlight. Since we can't all take a vacation to a sunny destination for the whole winter, here are some other strategies you can try:
If the symptoms listed above persist more than 2 weeks, talk to your doctor or therapist. Medication and therapy can be very effective in treating symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder.