When the days get darker, many of us feel a bit more sluggish, craving cozy evenings on the couch by 6:30 p.m.

For many people, feeling a little slower or less energetic than they would in the summer months is normal; colder temps and reduced amount of sunlight can mess with sleep cycles (circadian rhythm) and serotonin (the happy chemical) levels in the body. Yet for some, that sluggishness can be not only more intense but one symptom of a larger set of symptoms, including trouble concentrating, restlessness, aches and pains, feeling “empty,” appetite changes, and even thoughts of self-harm. In those cases, the individual may be impacted by seasonal affective disorder or S.A.D., and that disorder can impact African Americans more significantly.

“Seasonal affective disorder is not isolated to Black folks, but I think it is kind of unique because we don't talk about this kind of illness as much as we might talk about some other illnesses, whether that's depression, anxiety, PTSD, or even racial trauma,” says Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble, a psychologist who founded the mental health nonprofit The AAKOMA Project. “So because we don't talk about it as much, I'm not sure that enough of us as Black people know exactly what it is or know how to deal with it.” 

S.A.D. is not, as commonly believed, related to the holiday season or just feeling down because summer is over. Though thought to be correlated to the lower amount of daylight this time of year, S.A.D. is, therapists stress, a form of depression––a mental health disorder that Black people are more likely to experience while simultaneously less likely to have properly diagnosed or treated.  There are even some theories that Black people may be more susceptible to S.A.D. since we can be more prone to vitamin D deficiencies due to the way our bodies process sunlight. Either way, Black folks may be exhibiting signs of S.A.D. and not know it, which could, in turn, have big consequences on their health or the health of loved ones.  “It’s a real thing that I don't think we talk about enough,” Breland-Noble tells BET.com. 

So, what to do about it?

Light therapy is a popular treatment because S.A.D. is linked to light exposure, and many companies now sell lights for in-home use, specifically to combat S.A.D. Breland-Noble also recommends other strategies known to help mitigate traditional depression symptoms: good sleep hygiene, good eating habits, reducing screen time, and perhaps most importantly, reaching out for help. “It’s about not isolating yourself and finding ways to engage with people in real life,” she says. “Also things like exercise, mindfulness, meditation, and potentially other types of treatments: talk therapy, finding a mental health professional. I’m not saying all these changes in the snap of a finger or overnight. These are life skills.”