Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that begins as sunlight dwindles in the fall and continues into the dark winter months. These “winter blues,” which are more common among people with ADHD, cause feelings of sadness and depression, sap energy and motivation, and bring changes to sleep patterns. Reduced sunlight in the winter is thought to disrupt the body’s internal clock, leading to:

• Feelings of depression

• A drop in serotonin, the brain’s feel-good chemical

• A disruption in melatonin levels, which play a role in sleep disturbances

Chronotherapy is a SAD treatment that works by resetting the biological clock in the brain to alter the sleep-wake cycle and to lift mood. This can be done in combination with treatment modalities including sleep-hygiene, melatonin, and light therapy. New research is also illuminating the effect of light therapy on ADHD symptoms as well as SAD. In one study from prof. Kooij’s team involving delayed sleep phase syndrome, the most common sleep disturbance in adults with ADHD, chronotherapy with melatonin reduced ADHD symptoms by 14 percent.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• How to recognize seasonal mood changes and their effects on ADHD symptoms

• The ways in which late sleep patterns affects circadian rhythm and SAD

• How chronic sleep deprivation affects your health

• About therapies and strategies to improve mood, energy, and sleep during the winter months

  Register here: https://www.additudemag.com/webinar/seasonal-affective-disorder-depression-adhd/