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Colder weather and less daylight may have you feeling a bit more down lately.

天气变冷，白天变少，你最近可能会感觉心情更低落。

With the weather getting colder and the days becoming shorter, some people are noticing they have less energy and arent feeling as positive as they usually do. While these feelings may be temporary for some, around one in three people consistently struggle through the autumn and winter months with a type of depression known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

随着天气越来越冷，白天越来越短，一些人注意到自己的精力越来越少，感觉不像平时那么积极。虽然对某些人来说，这些感觉可能是暂时的，但大约三分之一的人在秋冬两个月里一直与一种被称为季节性情绪失调（SAD）的抑郁症作斗争。

Symptoms of SAD can vary from mild to severe, but typically include:

SAD的症状可能从轻微到严重不等，但通常包括：

Low mood；情绪低落Loss of interest or pleasure in things you previously enjoyed；对你以前喜欢的事物失去兴趣或乐趣Change in appetite (usually eating more than usual)；食欲变化（通常比平时吃得更多）Change in sleep (typically too much sleep)；睡眠变化（通常睡眠过多）Feeling worthless.感觉毫无价值。

Researchers arent yet clear on what causes SAD, but its likely to be complex and multifaceted. Some research suggests it could be due to a malfunctioning hypothalamus (the area of the brain that regulates biological processes such as mood, sleep and appetite) or producing too much melatonin (a hormone which controls our sleep-wake cycle, which is produced by the brains pineal gland). Some researchers theorize it could also be due to having a disrupted circadian rhythm — the natural, internal process that regulates our sleep-wake cycle.

研究人员尚不清楚SAD的原因，但它可能是复杂和多方面的。一些研究表明，这可能是由于下丘脑（大脑中调节情绪、睡眠和食欲等生物过程的区域）功能失常，或者产生过多褪黑素（一种控制我们睡眠-觉醒周期的激素，由大脑的松果体产生）。一些研究人员推测，这也可能是由于昼夜节律紊乱——调节我们睡眠-觉醒周期的自然内部过程。

Of course, there may be other factors at play too. For example, some research has indicated that women may be more likely to experience SAD — though, due to a lack of specific research, its uncertain whether these gender differences really exist and if so, why.

当然，也可能有其他因素在起作用。例如，一些研究表明，女性可能更容易经历SAD，但由于缺乏具体的研究，尚不确定这些性别差异是否真的存在，如果存在，原因是什么。

Getting Through it 渡过难关

Some people notice that their symptoms start to improve when the seasons begin to change and spring approaches. But this doesnt mean that there arent many things people can do during the winter months to help them cope with their symptoms.

一些人注意到，当季节开始变化和春天来临时，他们的症状开始好转。但这并不意味着人们在冬天的几个月里可以做很多事情来帮助他们应对症状。

For people with SAD, the main recommended treatments include psychological interventions (such as talking therapies) or taking medication (such as an antidepressant). Research shows that cognitive behavioral therapy (which focuses on challenging our distressing thoughts and changing our behavior) is an effective treatment for SAD.

对于SAD患者，主要建议的治疗方法包括心理干预（如谈话疗法）或服用药物（如抗抑郁药）。研究表明，认知行为疗法（专注于挑战我们痛苦的想法和改变我们的行为）是SAD的有效治疗方法。

In one study, researchers showed that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was associated with significantly lower depression when followed up one year later when compared to light therapy (another treatment sometimes used for SAD, which involves sitting in front of, or below, a box which emits a very bright light, for around 20-30 minutes or more daily).

在一项研究中，研究人员表明，认知行为疗法（CBT）在一年后随访时，与光疗法（另一种有时用于SAD的治疗方法，包括坐在一个发出非常明亮光线的盒子前面或下面，每天约20-30分钟或更长时间）相比，与抑郁症显著降低相关。

Getting more natural light every day instead of staying indoors may help improve symptoms.

每天获得更多的自然光而不是呆在室内可能有助于改善症状。

A key part of CBT is supporting patients in a technique called behavioral activation, which aims to improve mood by encouraging people to structure their day and engage in meaningful, pleasurable activities — a hobby, for example. Research also indicates that certain antidepressants (specifically SSRIs) may be particularly effective in treating symptoms of SAD.

CBT的一个关键部分是通过一种叫做行为激活的技术来支持患者，该技术旨在通过鼓励人们安排他们的一天，并从事有意义的、愉快的活动（例如，一种爱好）来改善情绪。研究还表明，某些抗抑郁药（特别是SSRI）在治疗SAD症状方面可能特别有效。

Light therapy is also currently being investigated as a treatment for SAD. Given its still an emerging therapy, research regarding its effectiveness as a standalone treatment for SAD remains inconsistent. But one study has shown that light therapy can be an effective way of managing SAD symptoms when used in combination with antidepressants. Light therapy is not usually available on the NHS (National Health Service in the U.K.), so if you do want to try it be sure to only choose a product that is medically approved for the treatment of SAD — and follow instructions for use or consult your GP.

目前也正在研究光疗作为SAD的治疗方法。鉴于它仍然是一种新兴的治疗方法，关于它作为SAD独立治疗的有效性的研究仍不一致。但一项研究表明，当与抗抑郁药联合使用时，光疗可能是治疗SAD症状的有效方法。NHS（英国国家卫生服务机构）通常不提供光疗，因此如果您想尝试光疗，请务必选择医学上批准用于治疗SAD的产品，并遵循使用说明或咨询您的家庭医生。

Aside from seeking professional help, there are a couple of other things that people can do to help them cope with SAD during their day.

除了寻求专业帮助，人们还可以做一些其他事情来帮助他们在白天应对SAD。

Going outside and getting some natural daylight is one thing people experiencing SAD can do for themselves. According to one study, getting more natural light during the day may help improve symptoms. The researchers of the study had participants either go for a daily one-hour outdoor walk or use a low-dose artificial light box for 30 minutes per day for a period of one week.

走出去，享受自然日光是经历SAD的人可以为自己做的一件事。根据一项研究，白天多接触自然光线可能有助于改善症状。这项研究的研究人员让参与者每天进行一小时的户外散步，或者在一周内每天使用低剂量人造灯箱30分钟。

The participants who went for a daily walk showed significant improvements in all depressive symptoms, compared to those exposed to artificial light. While its uncertain exactly why daylight may improve symptoms, this may still be an easy and effective thing that people can do to improve their mood each day.

与暴露在人造光下的参与者相比，每天散步的参与者在所有抑郁症状上都有显著改善。虽然还不确定为什么日光可以改善症状，但这可能仍然是人们每天可以做的一件简单有效的事情，可以改善他们的情绪。

Research also shows that lifestyle factors (such as exercise levels and diet) can play an important role in both causing and managing depression. When it comes to SAD in particular, theres some evidence to suggest that exercising (on its own or in combination with light therapy), may improve symptoms.

研究还表明，生活方式因素（如运动水平和饮食）在导致和管理抑郁症方面都发挥着重要作用。特别是在SAD方面，有一些证据表明，锻炼（单独锻炼或与光疗结合）可以改善症状。

Again, its still unclear why this is the case. But research has indicated that it may be related to changes in our circadian rhythm. A review which looked at the impact of exercise on depression has pointed to both the psychological (such as exercise providing distraction from negative thoughts and a means to socialize) and physiological (such as changes in endorphin or cortisol levels) benefits.

同样，目前还不清楚为什么会出现这种情况。但研究表明，这可能与我们昼夜节律的变化有关。一项关于锻炼对抑郁症影响的综述指出，锻炼在心理上(比如锻炼可以分散消极思想的注意力，并有助于社交)和生理上(比如改变内啡肽或皮质醇水平)都有好处。

While there are many things people can do to manage symptoms of SAD throughout the winter months, its important to consult your GP about symptoms and feelings — especially if symptoms dont improve, or if the condition becomes difficult to manage.

虽然在整个冬季，人们可以做很多事情来控制SAD的症状，但向你的全科医生咨询症状和感觉是很重要的——尤其是如果症状没有改善，或者病情变得难以控制。

If you are struggling or feel you could benefit from mental health support, please speak to your GP, and/or try contacting supportive organizations such as The Seasonal Affective Disorders Association, The Samaritans or Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

如果你正在挣扎，或者觉得你可以从心理健康支持中受益，请告诉你的全科医生，和/或尝试联系支持组织，如季节性情感障碍协会，撒玛利亚人或反对悲惨生活运动(CALM)。

Harriet Bowyer is a lecturer in applied psychology/clinical psychologist at Glasgow Caledonian University.

Harriet Bowyer是格拉斯哥加里多尼亚大学应用心理学/临床心理学家讲师。