Seasonal Depression is also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), commonly thought of as "winter depression" but includes "summer depression" as well.
What causes SAD? No one knows for sure, but experts believe it can be hereditary and associated with the amount of light a person receives in relation to chemical reactions in the brain. People who live in geographical areas that have drastic seasonal changes such as: hot, bright summers and cold, dark winters (or just the opposite) are more likely to be affected. People who are affected by SAD experience most, but not all of these symptoms; they are similar to depression in general but if you notice that you're consistently happy all year except one season, you probably suffer from SAD.
1. Feeling sad or depressed
2. Feeling tired or drained of energy
3. Feeling worthless
4. Feeling hopeless
5. Feeling weight in chest, arms or legs
6. Continuous thoughts of death or suicide
7. Loss of interest in usual activities
8. Inability to concentrate
9. Irritability, agitation or mood swings
10. Oversleeping or insomnia
11. Overeating or having no appetite
12. Craving sugary or fatty food
13. Self medicating with alcohol or drugs
14. Withdrawing from family, friends and coworkers
15. Unusual social conflicts
*** If any of these symptoms begin disrupting or dominating your life, don't hesitate to see your doctor - you deserve to be happy! ***
Even if you don't suffer from SAD, many studies have shown that weather changes can affect everyone on a daily, weekly and monthly basis with a variety of factors such as hours of sunshine, temperature, humidity and barometric pressure! Here are some things you can do to brighten up your day!
1. Exercise - get your heart rate up and your body will produce a natural anti-depressant
2. Spend 30 minutes outside or in direct sunlight
3. Schedule activities you enjoy, even if you're not in the mood - you'll be thankful you did
4. Explore meditation on yoga, it's a great way to re-connect with yourself and find balance
5. Communicate with your family and friends, they will care and support you
6. Get more lighting and use full-spectrum bulbs
7. Re-paint a room to refresh the look
8. Hang paintings or photographs depicting spring or summer landscapes
9. Set the desktop of your computer to something summery, colorful and bright
10. Use brightly colored throw pillows or blankets
11. Use vibrant colors such as red, orange, peach, yellow, green and gold
12. Take down your old curtains and let light in! Hang sheer panels or blinds with wider slats
13. Hang crystals or stained glass in a window to play up the light
13. Use plants and flowers everywhere! Real or silk, they remind us of vibrancy and warm weather
14. Use a sound machine that re-creates spring and summertime sounds such as birds chirping or water effects; use where you spend most of your time
15. Scented candles are a great way to release energizing aromas while creating a relaxing environment
16. Using air fresheners and febreeze for fabrics can have an uplifting effect
17. On a warmer day, open all your windows and let fresh air in - nothing beats that!
18. Use things that produce heat like heated blankets, space heaters or fireplace
19. Fresh cut flowers are a wonderful remedy! They last at least a week, bring a lovely aroma to your place and they look and feel luxurious...!
There is also medical treatment available for people who suffer from SAD. It does help to expose yourself to sunlight, or a similar alternative. Instead of damaging your skin in a tanning bed, there's a treatment available called "Bright-Light Therapy", the difference is there's no harmful ultraviolet rays! If you'd prefer a natural alternative, visit your local homeopathic store and speak with a sales associate about incense, candles, teas, herbs, stones and any other things that can ease the winter blues.
If you have any other questions, contact Intuitive Solutions anytime. Thanks for reading this article and have a wonderful day!
Nicole A. Coderre

Information was found on http://www.emedicinehealth.com/ and the article can be found here. These are the authors: Rick Kulkarni, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, David Geffen UCLA School of Medicine; Director of Informatics, Department of Emergency Medicine, UCLA/Olive View-UCLA Medical Center. Kathryn L Hale, MS, PA-C, Medical Writer, eMedicine.com, Inc.
Other information was also found on psychcentral.com, Author: John M. Grohol