When the days get short and the sunlight dips out before you even get home from work,

a lot of people feel a little blah.

They talk about dragging themselves out of bed, craving carbs like never before,

begging for the sweet embrace of sweatpants, and feeling a heaviness that seems to lift only when

spring arrives. For many, winter doesn't just dull the vibe. It drops it to the floor.

And not in a fun, we be clubbing kind of way.

That's seasonal affective disorder, a recurrent seasonal pattern of major depression that returns around the same time each year and lifts when seasons change.

Today I want to talk about sad, what it is, how it manifests, and most importantly, what we can do about it.

Welcome back to savvy psychologist. I'm your host, Dr. Monica Johnson. Every week on this show,

I'll help you face life challenges with evidence-based approaches, a sympathetic ear, and zero judgment.

Sad is a subtype of depression with a predictable seasonal rhythm.

For most people in the U.S., symptoms intensify in late fall and winter and improve in spring.

A smaller group has a summer onset version.

The symptoms of sad mirror those of major depression. Let's first talk

about hypersomnia. Unlike the insomnia, often seen in other forms of depression, people with

sad tend to sleep excessively. I've had clients tell me that they can sleep 10, 12, even 14 hours, and still wake up exhausted.

There's also increased appetite and carb cravings.

When a person is experiencing sad, there's often a market increase in appetite, particularly

for carbs and sweet foods.

This isn't about lacking of willpower.

It's your body's response to changes in brain chemistry.

Research suggests this may be related to serotonin regulation.

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