What are the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder?

Like most things, the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder vary from person to person. Some people will experience more symptoms than others. At the same time, some people will experience varying degrees of the symptoms. This makes it difficult to pin down the exact symptoms of SAD.

Common SAD symptoms include:

• Fatigue - lower energy levels
• Increased anxiety and irritability
• Decreased motivation
• Lower ability to concentrate
• Increased sleep time (oversleeping)
  
• Appetite is affected - craving for sweet snacks that may lead to weight gain

For the less common summer-onset depression, the symptoms are reversed in some cases. The most common SAD symptoms for summer-onset depression include:

• Lower appetite - leading to weight loss
• Insomnia
• Increased anxiety and irritability

Other symptoms related to different types of depression are common as well. These are likely to be more ongoing than cyclical. SAD symptoms tend to be cyclical and come and go as the seasons change.