Seasonal depression comes with the change in weather

What happens in the air reflects on our mood. It is known as SAD (seasonal affective disorder), the irony, am I right? It is a mood disorder characterized by depression that occurs at the same time every year, related to the changes of the season. Guidance counselor, Ms. Carlson explains the Biology behind the Psychology. 

“In the wintertime, we get less sunlight, so our brain has access to less serotonin. It does not affect everybody, but it can affect some individuals and make them more prone to depression,” said Carlson.

Back in November, we turned our clocks an hour back because of Daylight Savings Time. Patricia Gomes claims that Daylight Savings Time can disrupt our body and lead into seasonal depression. 

“I have read before, that an hour back can really take a toll on our body, and the sun going away earlier than usual does not help,” said Gomes.

This event is known to trigger symptoms of seasonal depression. Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder can include feeling depressed, acting withdrawn, lacking motivation, struggling to concentrate and also changes in sleeping and eating habits. According to psychologist Susan Alber, this can affect every part of our lives.

“Seasonal affective disorder is often caused by changes in our circadian rhythm, that internal natural clock that controls our sleep, our mood and our appetite,” said Alber. 

UACHS Junior, Gabriel Lauz, believes that we unconsciously tend to replicate the weather.

“I think we feel more down in these cold seasons because of the weather. It’s gloomy and sad and I think our moods tend to copy the weather and we do not even notice,” said Lauz.

Sunlight is known to provide a good chunk of serotonin for us. Serotonin is the key hormone that stabilizes our mood, feelings of well-being, and happiness. When the seasons shift and we lose access to daylight, our bodies struggle to adjust. So when the sun is not out for a long amount of time, we cannot get enough serotonin compared to what our bodies are used to.

The best thing throughout this time is to maintain a healthy routine. For example, getting up in the morning, going to bed at the same time every night, and sufficiently eating. A healthy routine for ourselves and for our bodies is vital because our bodies thrive off consistency.