Shorter days of fall, winter lead to seasonal affective disorder. What you need to know

As the clocks fall back in November and the days continue to shorten until the start of winter, some people are tired and depressed.

Some refer to it as the winter blues, but it's not. It's actually a serious condition – seasonal affective disorder.

What is seasonal affective disorder?

According to the Mayo Clinic, seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression related to the change in the seasons to fall and winter. A person's energy feels drained and people feel moody during the winter season. People who have bipolar disorder are at increased risk of seasonal affective disorder. The symptoms generally wane or go away during the spring and summer months.

There are also cases where the symptoms display themselves in spring and summer and resolve in fall and winter, but they happen less often.

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What causes seasonal affective disorder?

According to the Mayo Clinic, these are the causes:

• The reduced amount of sunlight in the winter disrupts your body's internal clock, causing feelings of depression.

• A decrease in serotonin levels because of reduced sunlight may trigger depression.

• The changing seasons may disrupt your melatonin levels, impacting your sleep schedule and mood.

What are the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder?

According to the Cleveland Clinic. the five main symptoms of seasonal affective disorder are:

• Feelings of sadness

• Lack of energy

• Loss of interest in usual activities

• Oversleeping and weight gain

People suffering from seasonal affective disorder may also crave carbohydrates, have difficulty concentrating, feel guilty or worthless and have thoughts of not wanting to live.

What month is seasonal affective disorder at its worst?

According to the American Medical Association, the worst time is generally December, January and February.

What is the best treatment for seasonal affective disorder?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, light therapy and vitamin D are treatments for winter-pattern seasonal affective disorder, psychotherapy and antidepressants are used to treat depression in general, including winter- and summer-pattern seasonal affective disorder.

The NIMH recommends talking to your health care provider about the benefits and risks of various treatment options and which treatment is best for you.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: As clocks turn back, what to know about seasonal affective disorder