As the seasons change, many people experience shifts in their mood and energy levels. When these mood changes are more serious and affect your daily life, you may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD). “We have to understand in the context of normal life, everybody will feel sadness or down sometimes as the seasons change,” said Dr. Martin Levine, family medicine physician with Optum Care Washington. “That’s a normal phenomenon. But for some people, a percentage of the population, as the seasons change in the fall, in the winter, the magnitude of those symptoms are more severe.” SAD is characterized by a recurring seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting about four to five months out of the year. Dr. Levine says the symptoms affect not just how you feel, but how you function. “If you cross into, sort of, a threshold of those symptoms of sadness or low energy affecting you in that manner, that’s when we call that a disorder,” he said. Symptoms include: Persistent sad, anxious or empty mood Feelings of hopelessness, irritability, frustration or restlessness Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities Decreased energy, fatigue or feeling slowed down Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions Changes in sleep or appetite or unplanned weight changes It’s important to talk with your doctor if you’re experiencing symptoms of SAD. Your doctor will work with you to understand your symptoms and how much they’re impacting your life. “If someone does meet that threshold of having seasonal affective disorder, there’s a range of different things to do to treat it,” Dr. Levine said. Light therapy, counseling, antidepressant medication and Vitamin D can be used alone or in combination to treat SAD. A light lamp can be an effective option in the fall and winter months. “If they turn it on about the same time each day and have it on for about 30 to 60 minutes, maybe while they’re doing some other activity, that alone is often just as good as taking antidepressant medicine,” Dr. Levine said. You should talk to your healthcare provider about the potential benefits and risks of different treatment options and what treatment is best for you. To learn more about care and to find a doctor, visit the Optum Care Washington website. Sponsored by Optum Care Washington Segment Producer Rebecca Perry. Watch New Day Northwest 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.