Symptoms NOT Typically Associated with Winter Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Insomnia and weight loss are NOT typical symptoms of winter seasonal affective disorder; instead, winter SAD characteristically presents with the opposite pattern—hypersomnia and weight gain. 1, 2, 3
Characteristic Symptom Pattern of Winter SAD
Winter seasonal affective disorder presents with a distinct constellation of atypical depressive symptoms that differentiate it from non-seasonal depression:
Typical Winter SAD Symptoms Include:
- Hypersomnia (increased sleep, not insomnia) 1, 2, 3
- Hyperphagia and weight gain (increased appetite and carbohydrate craving, not weight loss) 1, 2, 3
- Fatigue and low energy 4, 2, 5
- Difficulty concentrating 4
- Anhedonia (loss of interest in activities) 6, 3
- Social withdrawal 5
- Depressed mood 3
Symptoms More Associated with Non-Seasonal or Summer Depression:
- Insomnia (particularly early insomnia) is more characteristic of non-seasonal depression or summer-pattern SAD 6, 5
- Weight loss and decreased appetite are atypical for winter SAD and more commonly seen in melancholic or summer depression 6, 5
- Agitation and irritability are more prominent in summer-pattern SAD 6
Clinical Distinction
The atypical symptom profile (hypersomnia, hyperphagia, weight gain) serves as the best predictor of favorable response to light therapy in winter SAD, with response rates around 80% in selected populations 1. This symptom pattern is so characteristic that its presence helps distinguish winter SAD from other depressive subtypes 1, 2.
Common Diagnostic Pitfall
Do not confuse summer-pattern SAD with winter-pattern SAD—they present with opposite vegetative symptoms. Summer SAD more closely resembles melancholic depression with insomnia, weight loss, and agitation, while winter SAD presents with reverse vegetative symptoms 6, 5.