seasonal affective disorder

Notably, losing an hour of daylight can take a toll on people who are susceptible to seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression that peaks during the darker winter months.

Saba Harouni Lurie, a Los Angeles-based therapist who has experience helping clients deal with seasonal affective disorder, told The Times her No. 1 piece of advice is to increase exposure to sunlight.

“One of the suspected causes of seasonal affective disorder is decreased serotonin production due to lowered exposure to sunlight,” she said.

“Trying to get more sun each day is often the first step in managing the symptoms once you suspect that you’re suffering from seasonal affective disorder.”

And for people whose work schedules or lifestyles make it challenging to spend time in the sun, indoor light therapy lamps that mimic natural light have been shown to combat seasonal affective disorder.