Why the Gloomy Weather Makes Some Sad

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CLEVELAND - The days are getting shorter as we head into late fall, and many people start feeling down with less sunshine and cooler weather.

Mental health experts refer to this as seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder.

“Seasonal affective disorder tends to revolve around any type of mood, stress or anxiety-related change that has a seasonal component to it,” said Adam Borland, PsyD, a clinical psychologist with Cleveland Clinic.

According to Dr. Borland, symptoms of seasonal affective disorder can include feelings of sadness, lack of energy and oversleeping.

He explained our overall mood can take a hit in the colder months since we tend to stay inside more and socialize less.

To help combat seasonal depression, Dr. Borland suggests prioritizing time with friends and loved ones on a regular basis.

Along with staying social, make sure you’re getting enough sleep, keeping up with regular exercise and eating a healthy diet.

Dr. Borland added you also want to find ways to enjoy the outdoors this time of year, especially on sunny days.

You can even try out a light therapy lamp when you’re inside.

“I'm a big proponent of light therapy. I'm encouraging a lot of my patients to begin using it now rather than waiting for the symptoms of seasonal depression to arise,” Dr. Borland said.

Above all, Dr. Borland stressed it’s important to seek help from a mental health professional if symptoms of seasonal depression begin to drastically impact your daily life.