Key Points:
- Seasonal depression occurs when people feel sad or unlike their usual selves, usually when the seasons change.
- In most cases, seasonal depression symptoms start in the late fall or early winter and go away during the summer or spring months.
- Experts say cognitive behavioral therapy and light therapy can help.
As the days grow colder and daylight becomes more scarce, some Americans are oversleeping, overeating, experiencing weight gain and social withdrawal or hibernating.
The symptoms are part of a condition called seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD or seasonal depression.
The National Institute of Mental Health defines seasonal depression as periods where people feel sad or not like their usual selves, typically when the seasons change.
