SAD

               Winter makes me sad. It has nothing to do with the infinite layers of clothing we have to wear and even less to do with the ice (because it is Texas, and we don't really get any). I have recently discovered from personal experience that there is something to the idea of the wintertime blues, or Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder (SAD). My wintertime depression is obvious, because as springtime approaches, and I become more active. I'm feeling better already.

The Symptoms may include:

• Depression: misery, guilt, loss of self-esteem, hopelessness, despair, and apathy 
• Anxiety: tension and inability to tolerate stress 
• Mood changes: extremes of mood and, in some, periods of mania in spring and summer 
• Sleep problems: desire to oversleep and difficulty staying awake or, sometimes, disturbed sleep and early morning waking 
• Lethargy: feeling of fatigue and inability to carry out normal routine 
• Overeating: craving for starchy and sweet foods resulting in weight gain 
• Social problems: irritability and desire to avoid social contact 
• Sexual problems: loss of libido and decreased interest in physical contact

Mental health professionals are not completely sure where this phenomena comes from, but they compare our internal clocks to animals, focusing on reproductive cycles and hibernation.

SAD may be an effect of this seasonal light variation in humans. As seasons change, there is a shift in our “biological internal clocks” or circadian rhythm, due partly to these changes in sunlight patterns. This can cause our biological clocks to be out of “step” with our daily schedules. Melatonin, a sleep-related hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain, has been linked to SAD. This hormone, which may cause symptoms of depression, is produced at increased levels in the dark. Therefore, when the days are shorter and darker the production of this hormone increases.