Seasonal Depression
In the spring and summer, when you wake up with the sun and go to bed when it's dark, your body's internal clock is in synch with the sun. However, in the winter, when most people must force themselves to wake up while it's still dark, the sleep-wake circadian rhythm is thrown off-kilter from all of the body's other rhythms. For nearly 25 million Americans, this internal imbalance means their autumn and winter months are spent suffering from the many symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), including depression, low energy, chronic anxiety, weight gain, social withdrawal, and an increased need for sleep.