This story has been updated to correct Dr. Jonathan Cohen’s affiliation.
Q: Can my mood be affected by the season of year?
A: Seasonal affective disorder is a subtype of major depression marked by mood symptoms, such as sleep, energy and enjoyment worsening in the late fall and winter months. It occurs for at least two consecutive years and remits as the days lengthen in the spring.
One possible cause of seasonal affective disorder is reduced sunlight exposure disrupting your circadian rhythms, or biological clock. That affects various neurotransmitters in the brain. Seasonal affective disorder is far more prevalent in northern latitudes (of the northern hemisphere) where daylight may only last three to six hours in winter. Other causes of depression should be ruled out by your physician before concluding seasonal affective disorder is the problem. Standard antidepressants and psychotherapy may be helpful.
However, a more specific treatment for seasonal affective disorder is daily phototherapy with high-intensity, broad-spectrum lights. This is not the light in a tanning bed, which can be harmful to your skin and cause cancer. Talk to your doctor if you think seasonal affective disorder may be affecting you to discuss treatment options.
— Dr. Jonathan Cohen is a psychiatrist with Behavioral Health Associates
Dr. Jonathan Cohen