Signs and strategies to cope with seasonal affective disorder

As the days become shorter and nights grow longer, some individuals may experience seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD or winter depression.

The disorder typically begins in late fall or early winter due to reduced sunlight, but there are some cases in the summer.

Kristina Sowar, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico, said there are a few symptoms to look out for with SAD.

"If someone is really feeling like, you know, my mood is just really low, and in turn, I have very limited motivation. It's hard for me to get out of bed. It's hard for me to socialize with people who I care about. It's pretty hard for me to go to work or school," Sowar said. "Like, when there's enough impairment that it's impacting your day-to-day life. We definitely recommend that peo