With temperatures slowly dipping further into the negatives, some people may experience some mood swings.
Seasonal Affective Disorder(SAD) is similar to depression and usually takes place in the winter time, but the cause of it is usually due to shorter days with less natural light.
There are a couple of symptoms associated with the disorder says Professor at UNBC Glen Schmidt.
“People tend to feel tired, people tend to feel lethargic and a lack of energy. There’s also a craving for carbohydrates and sweets, people tend to eat a little bit more and as a result you will often see weight gain.”
There’s a debate on what exactly causes SAD, but most research has suggested it’s dies to the overproduction of melatonin, a hormone that makes people more fatigue.
The number of people who suffer from the condition fluctuates says Schmidt.
“If you look at Canada, the rate of depression with this seasonal specifier vary a little bit, but it’s generally thought to be around two-to-three per cent. But than you got 15 to 20 per cent of the population who get what people often refer to as the winter blues.”
The way people can avoid feeling the symptoms of ‘SAD’ is to get outside and absorb some sun, light therapy, and try to be active during the day.
