Seasonal Affective Disorder Sad - Disturbances Of Sleep Timing: Sleep Disorders
Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
In some parts of North America, abbreviated sunlight in the winter means that people don't get as much exposure to sunlight. As the days get shorter, some people find themselves depressed, sleepy, and drawn to high-carbohydrate foods.
Researchers speculate that people who suffer from this condition, called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), produce too much melatonin (or are extra-sensitive to normal amounts of this drowsiness-inducing hormone) and don't make enough serotonin, which may induce the craving for carbohydrates. Exposure to bright light in the morning for 30 minutes may alleviate the symptoms of SAD and help people wake up in the mornings. Antidepressants can also be helpful.
| Last updated: | January 23, 2007 |
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Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.
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