Please don't take my sunshine away

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder characterized by mood swings, a lack of energy, and depression that begins around fall and continues through the winter. It's often blamed on the constant decrease in sunlight that comes with fall and winter. It tends to vanish as spring (and the sun) arrives.

The culprit is unstable melatonin and serotonin levels due to variances in the daylight. Melatonin is a hormone produced during sleep and serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates moods, hunger and sleep.

According to research at Cornell University, 25% of college students nationwide feel these symptoms and affects women four times as often as men. There are four proven ways to help deal with the winter blues: light boxes, diet, exercise and good sleeping habits.

For more information on beating those blues away, check out doityourself.com's article here.