As daylight hours shorten and temperatures plummet, feelings of sadness and fatigue can begin. Depression is a major health concern that impacted 28 million people worldwide in 2019. In that same year, an estimated 10 million Americans experienced a specific type of depression disorder during the winter. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that is correlated to specific seasons like fall and winter, according to a study in Nutrients.
Chronic sadness, social withdrawal and difficulty concentrating, thoughts of death or suicide, changes in appetite, feeling listless or hopeless, anxiety and oversleeping, or reduced libido are all symptoms of SAD. While most cases begin in late fall or early winter, in rare cases, some people experience depressive symptoms during the spring and summer months – also known as summer-pattern SAD or summer depression.
Research on how to prevent and treat SAD is varied and while taking vitamin D may help symptoms, studies do not show consistent results in treating SAD. However, adding vitamin D to your diet, spending time outdoors, and consulting with a provider can help manage these symptoms.
