AS the nights draw in, and we wake up and it’s still dark out, it just feels that little harder to get out of bed. For some, however, kicking off those warm, cosy covers is far harder than for others. The culprit could be SAD (seasonal affective disorder).
There is no definitive cause of SAD but it is widely believed to be caused by the changing seasons, darker days, and a disrupted "biological clock" or circadian rhythm. More commonly affecting people in northern regions and more prevalent in women. Just last year, between 3% and 5% of the UK adult population suffered from it – that is up to 2.
5 million people. These figures are high. During the first year of the pandemic, depression and anxiety increased by 25% globally, according to a World Health Organisation study in March 2022.
With symptoms similar to depression, people with SAD tend to overeat, gain weight, and feel more tired. If left untreated SAD symptoms can intensify with many sufferers missing prolonged periods of work. In fact, poor mental wellbeing costs employers in the UK an estimated £42 billion to £45 billion annually through sickness absence, and absenteeism grows during the winter months.
Dr Andres Fonseca, consultant psychiatrist and co-founder of Thrive Mental Wellbeing believes that more action should be taken to identify SAD before those affected feel they need to take time off work. He said: “Early detection is important as a lot can be done. The pattern is seasonal.
SAD episodes typically s.