Many people may feel happy all year until winter starts to set in.Why is that some might ask. They start to feel more depressed in the winter than any other time of the year.. In the winter, the days are shorter and people don't get outside as much like they do in the summer months. In the winter, it seems like we all want to stay indoors and cuddle up on the couch with a blanket. The lack of sunlight in the winter makes some people more prone to depression. This type of depression is know as seasonal affective disorder or (SAD).

More women are diagnosed with this than men. Also, people who work indoors or work the midnight shift are more prone to this disorder. The brain secretes more of the sleep hormone melatonin in the months when we have more darkness and this is believed to cause depression. So, some may ask, "how do i know if i have this disorder" To answer this question, there are signs and symptoms you may experience. You may feel moody, irritable, hopeless, feel anxious, withdraw from friends and family and want to sleep more in the winter months. You may also have a difficult time getting out of bed for the day. You may also crave foods with carbohydrates which leads to weight gain.

One thing a person can do is get more sunlight. Sunlight helps produce more serotonin in the body that helps us feel better. In the morning when you first get up, get some sunlight by going out side. Some use light box therapy where they sit in front of this light box at least 30 minutes in the morning. This helps your body to produce less of the sleep hormone melatonin. If you think you may be suffering from the winter blues, contact your Dr to discuss your symptoms and possible treatments. Some people may need to take antidepressants only in the winter months.

Other things you can do for your winter blues is get out and exercise. If you can, go for a walk outside in the morning as this will help your exposure to sun light. You can also keep your blinds open in your house to also get some light. Sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D which helps increase serotonin levels. Vitamin D is also know as the sunshine vitamin. You can also take vitamin D supplements to help or consume foods that contain vitamin D like tuna, pink salmon,sardines or drinking orange juice and milk.

In conclusion, if you experience the winter blues and feel happy the rest of the year, you may be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder. So to answer the question "why do I have the winter blues", it is more than likely you are lacking light from the sun causing us to have more of the sleep hormone melatonin and a decrease in serotonin which leads to depression.