SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder

If gray days make you feel gray but you are happy when skies are blue, you may be extra sensitive to levels of natural light. Serotonin, a feel good chemical in the brain, can be lowered by seasonal changes in the amount of daylight. If your symptoms are severe, you may have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Women are affected by SAD 400% more than men. A light box used in combination with an antidepressant can be a highly effective treatment. Light therapy mimics outdoor light and causes a biochemical change in the brain that lifts the mood and relieves SAD symptoms. If you don't want to invest in the expense of of light box, then be sure to get outside when the sky clears. A little fresh air in the returning sunlight may be just the boost you need.