About.com Health: It's Getting Dark Out . . .

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Health From Maura Corrigan, your About.com Health Editor Yay! We got an extra hour of sleep this weekend. But, boooo! The darkness is still setting in. As we creep closer to the winter solstice, the shortest "daylight day" of the year, don't let the lack of bright sunshine get you down. Lack of Sunlight Can Cause Seasonal Affective Disorder If the reduced number of daylight hours seems to be getting you down, it's likely not just your imagination. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is real and relatively common. Read More... Symptoms of SAD Diagnosing SAD Search Related Topics:  seasonal affective disorder (sad)  sad symptoms  sad causes Treatment for SAD Light therapy, in which light emitted from a box shines on you for a specified amount of time, is currently the main treatment for SAD. Read More... Choosing the Best Light Box Alternate (and Future) Treatments for SAD Search Related Topics:  light box therapy  sad treatment  Will I Be Getting Enough Vitamin D? The sun is the primary source of Vitamin D (your body makes it when the skin is exposed to UVB rays), and light boxes unfortunately don't offer the same fix. But as little as 5 minutes of sunlight a day may be enough. Read More... What Vitamin D Does, and How Much You Need Treating Vitamin D Deficiency May Help Treat Depression Search Related Topics:  vitamin d  vitamins  When Is Depression More Than Feeling Sad, or SAD Itself? Everyone feels down from time to time, but if there's no specific reason for your sadness, and it lasts longer than two weeks, you may be clinically depressed. Read More... Common Causes of Depression Treatments for Depression Search Related Topics:  depression symptoms  depression diagnosis  depression facts Related Searches Medicare Health Plan Health Food to Eat Health Symptoms Health News Children Health Featured Articles Tips for Building Self Esteem Sleeping Medications in Pregnancy Is Ritalin Addictive? Top Exercises to Prevent Osteoporosis The Deep Six Hip Muscles Sikh Women With Facial Hair   More from About.com Plan a Caribbean Vacation Whether you're planning a romantic escape, a girlfriend getaway, or an active family vacation we've got the resources you need. Read more...> How to Eat Locally Eating locally has many benefits, the food is fresher, tastes better, and has less environmental impact. But how can you get started? Read more...>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About.com Health newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About.com respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2012 About.com     Follow us on: Advertisement