SAD Resources

It's getting colder. The sun takes its time in greeting us these days and it gets dark earlier in the evenings. Trees are becoming bare, the atmosphere is turning grayer and we're stuck inside a lot of the time. All of this can add up to the winter blues, called Seasonal Affective Disorder (or SAD) by clinicians. Experts seem to think it has something to do with light levels dwindling in the winter months.

But, there's a lot one can do about it, apparently, and almost ten percent of the population has had to learn to deal with it every year, especially in places like Chippewa Falls. Below are some links that might shed some light--no pun intended--on SAD.

Mayo Clinic--"It's a Sad Time of Year"

National Alliance on Mental Illness--A fuller picture of the problem.

Mayo Clinic--Choosing a "light box," the preferred treatment.

About.com--Light on Winter Darkness

Eastern Illinois News-Gazette--SAD: Tips to help you get up when feeling down