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Seasonal affective disorder

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression or mood disorder with a seasonal pattern. The most common form of SAD is also called winter depression or winter blues, because symptoms are worst in the winter months. They tend to start from around September, are worse when the days are shortest (in December, January and February) and improve in the spring.

There is also a summer version of seasonal affective disorder, but this is far less common and has different symptoms.

Around 1 in 50 people in the UK have SAD. It is more common in women than in men and most commonly starts between the ages of 18 and 40.

Up to 1 in 8 people in the UK experience milder symptoms of winter ‘blues’ (sub-syndromal SAD). Studies around the world have shown that SAD becomes more common the further you are away from the equator. This suggests that SAD is linked to the change in the number of daylight hours through the year.

• Symptoms
• Causes
• Diagnosis
• Treatment

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