No Stupid Questions Podcast Is SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) This Week

 Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is one of those psychological conditions that manly men like John Wayne would claim is made-up and "wussifies" our society. Don't get me started on what Republican Senator Josh Hawley would scream. SAD is one of those "all in your mind" diseases like postpartum depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia that medical researchers have discovered are real.

 Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons. SAD begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you're like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. These symptoms often resolve during the spring and summer months. Less often, SAD causes depression in the spring or early summer and resolves during the fall or winter months.

People who have bipolar disorder are at increased risk of seasonal affective disorder. In some people with bipolar disorder, episodes of mania may be linked to a specific season. For example, spring and summer can bring on symptoms of mania or a less intense form of mania (hypomania), anxiety, agitation and irritability. They may also experience depression during the fall and winter months.

 Scientists readily admit that they do not fully understand what causes SAD. Research indicates that people with SAD may have reduced activity of the brain chemical (neurotransmitter) serotonin, which helps regulate mood. Research also suggests that sunlight controls the levels of molecules that help maintain normal serotonin levels, but in people with SAD, this regulation does not function properly, resulting in decreased serotonin levels in the winter.

Other findings suggest that people with SAD produce too much melatonin—a hormone that is central for maintaining the normal sleep-wake cycle. Overproduction of melatonin can increase sleepiness.

Both serotonin and melatonin help maintain the body’s daily rhythm that is tied to the seasonal night-day cycle. In people with SAD, the changes in serotonin and melatonin levels disrupt the normal daily rhythms. As a result, they can no longer adjust to the seasonal changes in day length, leading to sleep, mood, and behavior changes.

Deficits in vitamin D may exacerbate these problems because vitamin D is believed to promote serotonin activity. In addition to vitamin D consumed with diet, the body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight on the skin. With less daylight in the winter, people with SAD may have lower vitamin D levels, which may further hinder serotonin activity.

On this week's episode of the No Stupid Questions podcast, psychologist and Grit author Angela Duckworth and Freakonomics Radio host Stephen Dubner discuss Seasonal Affective Disorder, aka SAD. Just the interplay between the two hosts could be enough to brighten your mood. 

The hosts talk through the latest research on seasonal changes affecting mood and mental health, and the effectiveness of the various tricks to combat it, from cognitive behavioral therapy to sitting in front of a light box. Plus, there's an occasional detour into topics like "the whole school of diaper optimization."

Listen to the latest episode of No Stupid Questions, "How Do You Keep Winter From Getting You Down?" here.