Shorter days affect the mood of millions of Americans – a nutritional neuroscientist offers tips on how to avoid the winter blues

Photo caption: For those prone to seasonal affective disorder, a shift in the sleep cycle can impact energy levels. Photo credit: Ben Akiba (Collection: E+) via Getty Images. Article by Lina Begdache. The Conversation – December 5, 2022. 

The annual pattern of winter depression and melancholy – better known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD – suggests a strong link between your mood and the amount of light you get during the day. To put it simply: The less light exposure one has, the more one’s mood may decline. Wintertime blues are common, but about 10 million Americans are affected every year by a longer lasting depression called seasonal affective disorder. Along with low mood, symptoms include anxious feelings, low self-esteem, longer sleep duration, constant craving for carbohydrates and low physical activity levels. […]

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