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.
Changes in appetite, especially cravings for carbohydrates and sweets, which can often lead to weight gain.
Depression.

Further, there are a number of other symptoms, which may be experienced by some sufferers.

Mood - sufferers tend to feel sad and low. They're often less interested in life and find it difficult to cope with everyday tasks. They may be irritable and short with friends and colleagues.
Sleep - sleep disturbance is common in SAD but varies from case to case – feeling excessively sleepy during the day is a common feature, and sleep is less satisfying.
Anxiety - tension, inability to cope with stress, phobias.
Loss of libido - decreased interest in sex.
Menstrual difficulties - pre-menstrual tension may be worse.
Feelings of hopelessness.
Increased sensitivity to pain - headaches, muscle and joint pain.
Other physical ailments - constipation, diarrhoea, palpitations.

Studies have shown that a large percentage of any given population, above or below 30 degrees of the equator, notice seasonal changes with regard to the above symptoms, to some degree (Rosen et al, 1990; Palinkas, 1996). This suggests that SAD is just one end of a spectrum of disorders, ranging from mild up to increasingly problematic symptoms (Kasper et al, 1989). People who suffer a milder form of the above symptoms are said to have ‘sub-syndromal’ SAD or S-SAD.