CARDIO VS. STRENGTH TRAINING

UNDERSTANDING

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER (SAD)

WINTER BLUES—OR SOMETHING MORE?

As winter approaches, most of us look forward to nesting, nurturing indoor hobbies and enjoying festive holiday celebrations. For many, though, shorter days and longer nights can trigger a form of depression that’s often misunderstood and, if left untreated, can be debilitating. Seasonal Affective Disorder, MENA MIRHOM, MD, FAPA also known as SAD, is more than just a bout of “winter blues.” It’s a type of depression that occurs during seasonal transitions, most commonly when we shift from fall to winter. It’s estimated that millions of American adults suffer from SAD, and many may not even realize it. According to the American Psychiatric Association, about 5 percent of adults in the U.S. experience SAD, and symptoms can last about 40 percent of the year.

How can you know whether a seasonal mood shift is something more serious? To help shed light on SAD, we reached out to Mena Mirhom, MD,