Warren County Health Services wants to remind residents during the winter months to be aware of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Many people go through short periods when they feel sad or unlike their usual selves, and feel down or have the “winter blues” when the days get shorter in the fall and winter and feel better in the spring when longer daylight hours return. Winter Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms include:
Oversleeping (hypersomnia)
Overeating, particularly with a craving for carbohydrates, leading to weight gain
Social withdrawal (feeling like “hibernating”)
Light therapy and vitamin D are treatments for winter-pattern SAD, and it is recommended to talk to a health care provider about the potential benefits and risks of different treatment options and which treatment is best.