Don’t be SAD

by jill ~ September 26, 2008

Today is the first truly fall day in New York.  It’s rainy, it’s grey and it’s cold.  I am not a fan of the winter and so this kind of seasonal change usually makes me depressed thinking about winter’s arrival.  They tell me this might be a mild case of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), which most people think is a joke - but it’s not. 

What is it? According to this Calgary Herald story, “fewer daylight hours absorbed by the retinas of the eyes reduce important mood-altering chemicals in the brain… the fading summer sun is to blame when our energy drops, our moods drop, and many of us feel like hibernating.”

It affects everything - from feeling depressed, to being hungry and more lethargic - to the economy and the spending power of consumers.  The media is catching on, as there are a lot of stories about SAD this week in the news:

Calgary Herald: Shorter days got you down?

BNET: Opposing views of holiday retail

Southport Visitor (UK): Why the long face?

Eielson Airforce Base Alaska: Beating the Winter Blues

Oxford University Press Blog: Seasonal Affective Disorder