The seasons of the year can influence whether a depression occurs or not. Such seasonal depressions arise above all in the cold and dark times of the year in fall and winter and often disappear again in spring.
Apart from the typical depression symptoms such as despondency and lack of energy, people suffering from seasonal depression reveal two further symptoms. People with a “winter depression” mostly have a strong urge to sleep more (also called hypersomnia). In addition they have a noticeably increased appetite for food with high levels of carbohydrates, for example, sweets, bakery products or noodles.
A possible reason for the occurrence of winter depression is the reduction in sunshine during the cold and dark season. The less sun there is, the more the body produces melatonin. This hormone regulates the rhythm between sleeping and waking in the body – the more it produces the more likely a person is to feel tired, exhausted and sometimes also depressive.
