It’s the dead of morning, the sun is hidden by fog and clouds, school and work is slow, and your sleep is not the best. You try to finish up some homework, but you can’t get up to do the assignment, you would rather be in your bed because you feel so bad and sluggish.

That seasonal dread and procrastination could be a sign of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Which is known to many as seasonal depression, it is a type of depression that is tied to changes in season, mainly in winter/fall. This disorder comes from many different causes and can make it difficult for people to function properly during a season.

First, why does this issue happen? There are many factors that influence people to experience seasonal depression, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) lists factors such as lack of sunlight and shorter days. Decreased sunlight can result in decreased serotonin and shorter days can change sleep patterns and make days feel quick. 

Alongside that many people are quite busy in seasons like fall and winter with the start of a new school year or new calendar year for companies. So due to the lack of time in the morning that people experience from work or school, to actually get sunlight and do the activities they enjoy – like sports or personal free time – is difficult. This can especially affect people who live in cold areas who do not have as much sunlight, like in the Pacific Northwest, North Europe, Russia, and in secluded islands such as Greenland.

Second, how does this issue affect people who suffer from it? It varies based on each person, but many symptoms stay similar and common among many people who have had SAD. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) breaks it down into symptoms of depression, then more specific seasonal depression like in winter and summer. Starting with general depression, an empty feeling during most of the day, hopelessness, worthlessness, frustration, fatigue, and over or under eating. 

Then for winter a few symptoms are social withdrawal, overeating specifically with carbs leading to weight gain, and hypersomnia – which is oversleeping. Summer patterns are anxiety, violent or aggressive behavior, insomnia, and restlessness.

Ask yourself if you have felt any of these symptoms before during a specific season, potentially over the span of a few years repeatedly. If you believe that you might be prone to seasonal affective disorder you might want to check out ways to deal with this issue. Read these examples and see if the feelings of these two students are relatable.

Alejandro Sandoval, a student at Highline Community College, said, “When I was 14-17, I went through seasonal affective disorder a lot, but now my condition has improved. But when I was going through SAD, I could definitely notice its impact on my self perception and performance in the winter seasons specifically. I felt down on myself and struggled to complete schoolwork as I was feeling sluggish. I also felt very negative emotions about my situation and was generally unhappy during winter.” 

Another story from local community member Altai Ganzorig, who wrestles at Todd Beamer High School in Federal Way, who said, “During winter I feel sluggish and it’s difficult to wake up for school. But during spring and summer I feel far more energized and do not have an issue with going to school even if I am tired because the weather is nice.” 

It is prevalent that many people suffer from SAD. So what can be done to avoid this issue? First we need to recognize the root cause of the disorder, for each person it is a mix of different reasons and impact. Look through the NIMH or SAMSA to see the symptoms and take note of which ones affect you. Some big causes are if you live in an area like the PNW it might be due to the shifting weather and lack of sunlight. Or if you are a student starting a new school year, the nerves and stress from school might be another reason for SAD.

Now that the symptoms and reasons behind the condition are known, once again, what could be done to avoid, minimize, and resolve the problem? Well for example if a new school year is very stressful, it might be worth it to take breaks to go outside and enjoy the weather. To practice meditation and mindfulness. And to make sure to stay or try your best to be healthy, in exercise or diet.