But while winter-pattern SAD gets more attention, summer-pattern SAD (also called reverse SAD) is very real and just as disruptive. Both types of SAD often show up alongside ADHD and share overlapping causes, symptoms, and treatment options— each with its own season-specific spin.

Blame the sun (mostly)

When looking at the causes of SAD patterns, one culprit stands out: sunlight, or lack thereof.

During winter, when the days get shorter and darkness sets in before the workday is done, moods drop. Reduced sunlight exposure can increase melatonin production, disrupting sleep patterns and throwing off your body’s internal clock, which can lead to depression. A lack of sunlight can also lead to decreased vitamin D levels, which reduces serotonin activity, further impacting mood and sleep.

“These changes, combined with the stresses of holiday travel, sensitive family dynamics and managing expectations can build a recipe for depression during the winter months” says Andrea Rogers, Supervisor for Intensive Outpatient Programs in the Department of Psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai.

But the long, bright days of summer can also be disruptive. Just as fewer sunlight hours can result in an overabundance of melatonin, increased sunlight can alter our sleep-wake patterns and disrupt circadian rhythms. Factor in heat, late nights, and even body-image issues, and it’s easy to see how summer-pattern SAD can also take a toll. It should come as no surprise that summer-pattern SAD is more prevalent in the southern U.S. than in the north.

Even FOMO (fear of missing out) can play a role in bringing on bouts of summer-pattern SAD. You may be scrolling social media and seeing everyone else having fun, causing you to wonder why you’re not out doing the same. Cue the anxiety and sadness about not making the most of the season.  

How SAD shows up

While both types of SAD have similar root causes, their symptoms vary. Winter-pattern SAD tends to manifest through a lack of energy and the urge to hibernate—increased sleep, social withdrawal, cravings, and weight gain.

Summer-pattern SAD presents as a more manic or agitated set of symptoms. Insomnia, restlessness, reduced appetite, and weight loss can all be signs. These opposite symptoms—lethargy in winter and agitation in summer—are reflective of how we react to extreme temperatures. Psychiatrist and professor Norman Rosenthal (originator of the term “seasonal affective disorder”) states that those easily discomforted by heat may find cooler temperatures to be calming, making them less prone to winter-pattern SAD and more likely to experience the summer variant.

Not everyone experiences these symptoms the same way. If you experience seasonal patterns in your mood or energy, it’s worth bringing them up with your doctor or therapist.

Reclaim the seasons

Fortunately, there are adjustments you can make to your routine to help manage your symptoms so you can get back to embracing every season.

• Try bright light therapy – Shown to suppress the brain’s secretion of melatonin, this treatment can provide some much-needed light to dark winter days. Even just getting outdoors when weather permits can be helpful.
• Balance summer stimulation – Avoid too much sun and heat. Stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, and take plenty of breaks.
• Set a sleep schedule – Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day to keep your circadian rhythm in check.
• Limit your alcohol intake – Alcohol can increase feelings of anxiety and depression, so it’s best to keep intake to a minimum during bouts of SAD symptoms.

In addition to these behavioral changes, a mental health professional can provide options for  the seasonal blues through medication, counseling, or other treatment methods.

Clinically reviewed by Amy Marschall, PsyD. Dr Marschall has been a licensed psychologist since 2016 and currently owns a private practice, RMH-Therapy, where she provides therapy primarily to children and adolescents and does psychological evaluations and also provides ADHD assessments through ADHD Online.

Sources:

Seasonality of mood disorders in adults with lifetime attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – PubMed

Seasonal Affective Disorder and the ADHD Brain – ADDitude Magazine

Heading Off Seasonal Depression When You Have ADHD – CHADD

Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder: SAD in the Summer – Psychology Today

It’s a Cruel Summer with Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder – Relational Psych

For many, the winter months bring an air of lethargy. It’s gloomy, it’s cold (for some more than others), and the craze of the seasons usually means that our regular goings-on fall by the wayside. And while all of this can cause spurts of disinterest for anyone, if you find your symptoms are prolonged, it could be something more.

What’s observed as “hibernation” in the natural world is, in the human world, referred to as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), or “seasonal depression,” and it affects millions of people during darker winter months. Believed by some to be triggered by changes in serotonin and melatonin levels, your “winter blues” start to creep into the area of SAD if your symptoms of sadness and anxiety, irritability, lack of interest and focus, sleep irregularities, and even weight gain begin to influence your daily life. Understanding seasonal affective disorder is crucial for those experiencing its effects, as recognizing the symptoms can lead to timely interventions and support. Treatment options vary, including light therapy, counseling, and lifestyle changes, which can help alleviate the symptoms and improve overall well-being. By proactively addressing these challenges, individuals can enhance their quality of life during the darker months of the year.

Fortunately, there are methods you can implement to navigate the wave of winter and come out on the other side (hello, spring!).

Maintain a consistent schedule

Shorter days mean less sunlight, which can often mean time blindness. Combat this by keeping regular wake and sleep times to stabilize your body’s internal clock. Try waking up and going to bed at the same time each day, including weekends. This regularity can improve both sleep quality and mood.

Stay connected with society

While SAD can make you want to isolate, staying involved and active with your social circle is crucial. Schedule regular meetups with friends, join winter activities or groups, and stay in touch with loved ones through calls or video chats. The most effective support can often exist in the form of those closest to you.

When you can, spend daylight hours in natural light

Even on cloudy days, natural light exposure is beneficial. Take a morning walk, have your coffee by a window, or arrange your workspace near natural light. When Mother Nature allows, do some physical activity outdoors during daylight hours — your brain and your body will thank you.

And when you can’t, mimic natural light with light therapy

It’s a plan B for natural light, but it’s a highly regarded one. Light therapy — the use of a special light box that mimics natural light — is the most established treatment for SAD. Quick-acting and not time-consuming, people often see results of light therapy within two to four days. Every morning, 15 to 30 minutes. 

Tip: Not all light boxes are created equal, so look for one that provides 10,000 lux of light and filters out harmful UV rays.

Exercise and eat well

Physical activity is particularly effective against SAD symptoms. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise a few days each week. The good news here? The weather isn’t a factor: Double up on natural light exposure and exercise outdoors (win-win), or enjoy indoor activities like yoga, pilates, or strength training equipment when the weather does not permit.

Few conversations about physical exercise fail to also mention nutrition, which influences many things, including mood. Focus on complex carbohydrates to increase energy levels; omega-3-rich foods to improve cognitive function and memory; and vitamin D-rich foods to make up for any deficiency you may experience during times of the year with less sunlight.

Tip: It’s not only about what you’re eating but also when. By regulating meal times, your body is better able to maintain stable blood sugar levels.

Be intentional about your environment

We’re not making this a nature vs. nurture thing, but there’s something to be said for an intentional and curated space and its effect on your mood and mindset. Make your indoor spaces bright and airy: open curtains and blinds, trim trees that block sunlight, and paint walls in lighter colors. Make space for the feel-good hormones.

If you need more help, seek it

Whether you’ve explored every option or none at all, finding and working with a mental health professional is hugely beneficial no matter the season. They can offer things like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), strategies to manage negative thought patterns, support in maintaining healthy habits, and medication management when appropriate.

As you explore ways to overcome SAD, explore what else might be going on with the  Mentavi Mental Wellness Snapshot. It’s a meaningful act of self-care and a great way to see what else might be affecting your mood this winter.

As memories of summer fade away and the days get shorter and darker, your outlook and attitude might also become a bit gloomier. That’s not unusual. In fact, a 2018 study published in the journal Cell uncovered a circuit between light-sensing cells in the eyes and regions of the brain that impact how happy or sad you are. But there’s a difference between feeling a little down and becoming seriously depressed.

“Many people experience ‘winter blues,’ which is a slight mood shift or sluggishness due to colder weather and less sunshine,” says Deborah Serani, PsyD, a psychologist and professor at Adelphi University in New York. “But seasonal affective disorder is a type of depressive mood disorder that has a significant impact on your daily functioning.”

You should suspect that you might have moved into seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, territory if you meet the criteria for clinical depression primarily during the fall and winter months. Common symptoms include persistent feelings of sadness (lasting at least two weeks); changes in sleep habits; extreme fatigue; and loss of interest in activities that you used to enjoy. Some people with clinical depression or SAD even think about suicide.

Anyone can develop SAD, but people with ADHD are among those who seem to have an above-average risk. Experts believe up to 3% of the general population suffers from SAD, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. But among those with ADHD, it might be far higher. One 2006 study conducted by a group of researchers from the Netherlands, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders , found that at least 27% of those with ADHD also have SAD. The same study found that for ADHD patients who have a history of mood disorders (such as major depression and bipolar disorder), the risk of SAD was as high as 61%.

“There appears to be an overlapping of neurochemistry and brain structure functioning that ADHD and SAD share,” says Serani. She notes that research has found that disruptions to natural circadian rhythms — the internal body clock that tells you when to get sleepy and when to feel active — are associated with ADHD symptoms.

Signs of SAD

SAD, which is sometimes called winter depression, is officially known as “major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern.” It can actually happen during other seasons as well, though the most prevelant form is winter depression. It is characterized by a major change in mood and functioning that occurs when there are fewer daylight hours. If left untreated, it can sometimes cause problems in the following spring or summer.

“Most people present with complaints of a significant drop off in mood and energy levels when the days start to become shorter,” says Drew Pate, MD, chief of psychiatry at LifeBridge Health in Maryland. Some feel more tearful or have increased anxiety, find it hard to get out of bed, or withdraw from others socially.

Sleeping too much and feeling worthless or hopeless are also common symptoms, Pate says. Many people go through several winters before noticing the pattern and deciding to seek help, he says.

While SAD is, by definition, seasonal in nature, Dr. Pate adds that some people who have it experience milder depressive symptoms during other times of the year. However, they don’t feel severely depressed until the days become shorter.

The exact cause of SAD is unknown, but lack of sunlight seems to be a major factor for people who are predisposed to it. Experts believe that sun exposure helps regulate a feel-good mood chemical in the brain called serotonin; when serotonin levels falls, it may trigger depression.

Less sun exposure might also prompt your body to make more melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleepiness and that your body releases when it’s dark outside. This change, along with others related to sleep and hormones, can interfere with your circadian rhythms and, in turn, throw your mood out of whack. And if you have ADHD, you may be especially susceptible to the fallout.

“Many people with ADHD have trouble with healthy sleeping patterns year-round. Seasonal changes can make their sleep problems even worse,” says Monalisa McGee-Baratta, PhD, program chair of the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Phoenix.

“Sleep affects our brain chemistry,” she explains. “Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep makes it harder to focus the next day. When we don’t get enough sleep, we have less energy and feel more depressed.”

Treatment and prevention

Anything you might do to ward off depression in general — including reaching out to friends, eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise — may reduce the risk of developing the winter blues as well as SAD. But morning light exposure is also critical.

Here are some treatment and prevention tips:

• Daily walks: If possible, take a walk soon after the sun comes up, even on cloudy days. Even 20 minutes should make you feel more awake and energized and help keep your circadian rhythms on track throughout the day.

• Getting natural light in the morning: Try to get access to natural light in other ways first thing in the morning. For example, have your breakfast next to an open window so you can see the light streaming in.

• Light therapy: Of course, getting natural morning light isn’t practical for everyone. That’s where light therapy comes in in. Light therapy is also known as bright light therapy, or BLT, or phototherapy.

“Light boxes emit full-spectrum light similar in composition to sunlight,” says McGee-Baratta. “Symptoms of SAD may be relieved by sitting in front of a light box first thing in the morning, from the early fall until spring.”

A good light box, which filters out most harmful UV rays and emits about 10,000 lux of light (a measure of light intensity) can be purchased online or at drugstores without a prescription. Although they’re generally safe for most people to try, Dr. Pate recommends seeking personalized advice from a mental health professional first — especially if you have ADHD.

“Anytime someone has a preexisting condition, you have to be careful when you introduce an additional treatment,” he says. “There’s no reason to believe there will be a negative interaction (between a light box and ADHD treatment), but we’re all different.

If you’re intent on going your own way, he advises starting with five to 10 minutes in front of a light box each morning. Slowly work your way up to maximum of 30 minutes a day, and take note of how you feel. (It’s rare, but some people find that using a lightbox for more than a few minutes is too stimulating or causes eye irritation.) For best results, start in the fall when the days are starting to shorten and continue until the days become longer in the spring.

• Dawn stimulation: This is a different form of light therapy than bright light therapy. Dawn simulators expose people to a slowly increasing amount right before they awake each day. The light often starts about 30 minutes before a person’s normal awake time. Some can plug into a person’s existing bedside lamp and use that lamp’s bulb.

• Other treatments: If various ways of increasing your morning light aren’t enough to improve your mood, talk to your mental health care provider. Some people with SAD also need to take vitamin D supplements. (You may be deficient, especially during the winter.) You may also benefit from talk therapy (such as cognitive behavioral therapy) or antidepressants.

“Remember that SAD is a subtype of major depressive disorder,” says Serani. “The goal of any treatment for SAD is to help you prepare for seasonal changes, cope with circadian rhythm differences in your body, and use positive interventions to keep depression, lethargy, cognitive fog and other symptoms at bay.”

Sources:

Cell: Light Affects Mood and Learning through Distinct Retina-Brain Pathways

American Psychiatric Association: Seasonal Affective Disorder

Medline Plus: Seasonal Affective Disorder

Journal of Affective Disorders: Seasonality of mood disorders in adults with lifetime attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Journal of Psychiatric Research: ADHD, circadian rhythms and seasonality

Mayo Clinic: Seasonal Affective Disorder

Cleveland Clinic: Seasonal Depression (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Mayo Clinic: Seasonal affective disorder treatment: Choosing a light box

“Seasonal Affective Disorder can be detrimental to our daily routine,” said Dr. Raafia Muhammad, Clinical Division Chief at ADHD Online. “It can affect how we sleep, how we eat, and even how we interact with one another. People across the country – not just those in the four-season states –experience one or more of seasonal affective disorder’s many symptoms, including anxiety, agitation, weight loss, and gain, depression, fatigue, social withdrawal, hopelessness, and lack of energy. The sooner you recognize the symptoms, the quicker you will be able to seek treatment or find ways to adjust to the changing seasons.”  

Here are some tips to get through this season:  

• First, it’s important to recognize that everyone feels down at some point, and that is completely okay. It’s normal. But, when you start to feel like you can’t find a silver lining anywhere, and the usual activities that used to make you happy on your bad days are now filling you with hopelessness and guilt, it’s time to seek a doctor. “We know that everyone will have off days, but when your thoughts start to turn dark, and you are contemplating self-harm, it’s time to get help,” said Dr. Muhammad. 
• Commit to your best form of self-care. This can be done through a workout, like running, lifting weights, or even dancing. Then, treat yourself to an at-home spa day filled with face masks and bubbles. Of course, you could even go to the real spa, too! Whichever way you prefer to care for yourself, go for it! 
• Soak up the sun when you can. Even with the cold temps, if the sun is shining during the day, take a brisk walk through your neighborhood, or go to a local park. Connecting with nature for a few minutes each day can drastically change your mood. 
• Eat consistently. Even when you don’t feel like doing anything, the number one thing you should still prioritize is eating consistent, healthy meals. “It’s easy to overindulge when you’re feeling down, and it’s okay to treat yourself, but one of the best ways to combat seasonal depression is by trying as best as you can to stick with a routine. Eat three meals a day that are filled with nutrients to fuel your body,” said Dr. Muhammad. 
• Take it one day at a time. Each day will feel different, some better than others and vice versa. Though you may experience symptoms of guilt and a lack of motivation, it’s important to remember that it’s just one day, and tomorrow, you can decide to change it. So go easy and give yourself grace. 

Seasonal Affective Disorder can be challenging, but listening to your body and what it needs is all that it will take to make some days a little bit brighter.