In the News: Tips to Beat the Winter Blues
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From 425 Magazine:
As the days get shorter and darker, people might start feeling the “winter blues.” Also known as winter depression, the official name for this seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is major depressive disorder, according to Dr. Antonio Avila, a psychiatrist at Overlake Medical Center & Clinics. This form of depression usually occurs during the fall and winter months.
“Like in most psychiatric illnesses, the cause of SAD is not known, but it is linked to a chemical imbalance in the brain that is triggered by shorter daylight hours and less sunlight, disrupting the person’s internal clock (circadian rhythm),” he said.
About 5 percent of the U.S. adult population experiences SAD and it is more prevalent among women between the ages of 18 and 30, and people living farther from the equator, Avila said.
