Do you already feel depressed when you think of the cold dark months? You are not the only one who suffers from it, but a real winter dip does not occur as often as you might think.
That is what researchers from Oregon State University write.
Small effect
For the study, they had 800 people fill in a questionnaire at a number of times during the year. The data was compared with local weather conditions. They discovered that the time of year and the weather conditions have almost no influence on depressive symptoms. Only a small effect was discovered, which is not nearly as large as many people think.
No depression
We may be too aware of seasonal mood swings or have less fun or feel trapped in winter, but that's not the same as prolonged sadness and hopelessness, says the lead researcher.
Depression vs. dip
There is a big difference between a real depression and a winter slump, but the latter can also have quite a lot of impact on your daily life in our opinion.
Have you ever suffered from a winter dip?
Source:Health Net – Image:Shutterstock
