Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder with symptoms like increased appetite and sleepiness, often treated with light therapy to regulate melatonin or with vitamin D supplementation.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at specific times of the year, typically during the fall and winter months when daylight hours are reduced. This mood disorder is characterized by symptoms such as increased appetite, sluggishness, and increased sleepiness.
Melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles, may play a role in SAD due to its production being affected by light exposure. Hence, one non-drug therapy for SAD is light therapy, which involves exposure to bright, artificial light to simulate sunlight and help regulate melatonin levels.
Recent research also suggests that a deficiency in vitamin D might be related to SAD, and this deficiency may be more common among individuals with darker skin pigmentation. Therefore, vitamin D supplementation could be another non-drug approach to managing SAD symptoms.