Seasonal Affective Disorder, shortened to SAD, affects an enormous demographic of one in five American adults. So what is it about the wintertime that makes us feel so, well, sad?
Call it what you will, from the winter blues to cabin fever, the precise cause of SAD is still unknown to doctors and scientists. However, working theories go on to suggest that the answer may lie in how light, and more particularly sunlight, affects us. During the winter months, the weather not only cools down but the days and hours of sunlight grow shorter as well. Much like plants need sunlight to grow, vitamin D is also essential for humans as receptors for vitamin D are present in nearly every cell of the body. Affecting our bone development, mineral absorption of other nutrients, and immune function, deficiency in vitamin D can lead to fatigue, frequent illness, and perhaps most interesting, depression.
Luckily, tech is on our side when it comes to seasonal depression management. Though there is still much to learn about this unique condition, what we do understand about nutrition, mental health, and physical well-being can help guide us towards a happier, and healthier, wintertime. Take a look at this infographic for more on managing symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, getting your energy back, and beating the winter blues for good.
Source: Best Health Degrees
Brian Wallace is the Founder and President of NowSourcing , an industry leading infographic design agency based in Louisville, KY and Cincinnati, OH which works with companies that range from startups to Fortune 500s. Brian also runs #LinkedInLocal events nationwide, hosts the Next Action Podcast , and has been named a Google Small Business Advisor for 2016-2018.
