Are you having difficulty getting up in the morning, especially after switching to Daylight Savings Time? Cutting down on their exercise and feeling the need for pasta, mashed potatoes and bagels? Decreased energy or feeling “blah”? Is the same thing happening every year at this time? Is it depression, or are you just SAD?

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is different from major depression. Both include sleep disturbances and lethargy, but seasonal affective disorder may include craving for carbohydrates and accompanying weight gain. There are two types of SAD; winter and summer. Winter depression, usually beginning around November and ending in March, is thought to be caused by light deficiency in the environment. Those with SAD have less suicidal ideation and negative moods in the morning when compared with nonseasonal depressives.

The currently accepted treatment for SAD, particularly winter depression, is bright light exposure or phototherapy. In this case, light is believed to synchronize the activity of the biological clock to the day-night cycle.

One inexpensive yet effective method to  combat SAD is a walk outside, which might work best when done in the early morning, the time when light therapy is most effective. Even an overcast winter sky provides more light than normal indoor lighting. But leave your sunglasses at home.  Your eyes must be exposed to the light. The walk has an added benefit – it’s good exercise and can bring about an overall improvement in mood.