health ABC > SAD
Age and other considerations to make with SAD
Seasonal affective disorder & age Epidemiological studies report that the lifetime prevalence of SAD increases with age until the sixth decade. After the age of 50-54 the prevalence declines dramatically...read more
Cause and treatment of SAD
Cause SAD has a lot in common with the hibernation cycle of animals and research has shown that this is triggered by a response to decreasing light levels. As the days grow shorter and the light becomes less...read more
Disruption of sleeping patterns and fatigue
Disruption of sleeping patterns Symptoms Falling asleep early in the evening Difficulty in getting to sleep Disruption of sleep Early morning awakening Cause Generally it can be attribu...read more
How effective is light therapy for SAD ?
Several qualitative reviews have concluded that light therapy is an effective treatment for SAD, with response rates of 60% to 90% in controlled studies (Eastman et al 1998; Lamberg, 1998; Pa...read more
Let the light come in
It is frequently argued that since many of us work in artificially lit buildings, we are seldom exposed to sufficient light. The human visual system adapts rapidly to changing intensities of illumination; con...read more
Seasonal affective disorde: an introduction
In the early 1980s, Herb Kern, a research engineer, who thought that his annual cycle of depression might be caused by the shorter and duller daylight hours in winter, approached doctors working at the Nation...read more
Seasonal affective disorder & gender
Seasonal affective disorder afflicts both sexes, though virtually all studies of the prevalence of SAD report that women are more likely to suffer than males. The most widely reported statist...read more
Seasonal affective disorder & latitude
Many studies in the United States have reported a significant effect of latitude on prevalence, with an increase in prevalence with increasing latitude. Rosen et al (1990) working in Alaska, found a S...read more
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a form of depression which develops in the autumn and improves in the spring. Many of the symptoms associated with depression in general are similar – low mood and ...read more
Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder
There are four classic symptoms experienced by Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) sufferers. Extreme fatigue and lack of energy. Greater need for sleep and sleeping more than usual. ...read more
