SEASONAL BLUES

Fighting Monday blues? It could have more to do with season than day of the week

- VAISHALI DAR

THE CHANGE OF SEASON has ill-effects on both physical as well as mental health. What most people term as Monday blues can also be a case of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression most pressing during winter months 

However, seasonal blues can get worse and recur throughout the year. Disrupted routines and erratic sleep could be two reasons for this.

It is estimated that up to 3% of people in the US, in fact, are affected by SAD each year, and women are four times more likely to experience it than men.

As per news website Health.com, Hanne Hoffmann, assistant professor at Michigan State University, says people with SAD tend to experience common depression symptoms, feeling depressed most days, losing interest in activities they once enjoyed, experiencing changes in appetite or weight, having problems with sleep, low energy and feeling hopeless or worthless.

SAD, however, only affects people four or five months of the year, typically the winter months when the days become shorter. "Light promotes the secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain," said Hoffman.