3 Ways to Fight Seasonal Depression

Seasonal Affective Disorder is a real thing and there are ways to fight off symptoms.

According to "Time", "4 to 6 percent of Americans suffer from SAD", or Seasonal Affective Disorder.  SAD is caused by cold weather and shorter days with symptoms of sadness, irritability, and lack of sleep for sufferers.

"Time" lists 8 ways to fight seasonal depression but here are the top 5 you might not know about:

1. Dawn Simulators - If light box therapy isn't your thing, try a dawn simulator which is an alarm clock with a light attached.  It is designed to wake you up peacefully by simulating morning sunshine.  Some brands of dawn simulators include relaxing sounds to go along with the changing light.

2. Essential Oils - According to PubMed, essential oils can fight SAD because they have "anti-depression-like" effects for some people.  Plus, they smell good.

3.  Create a Schedule - When you're sad, you gain weight and have trouble sleeping.  Making a schedule that enables you to wake up at the same time everyday will keep you consistent in your exposure to daylight.