Turning the clocks back an hour can increase the risk of seasonal affective disorder, also known as “SAD.” “When there is a shift in the season and our access to daylight, our bodies struggle to adjust,” said Cleveland Clinic psychologist Dr. Susan Albers. According to Albers, symptoms of seasonal affective disorder include feeling depressed, acting withdrawn, lacking motivation, struggling to concentrate and also changes in sleeping and eating habits. “Seasonal affective disorder is often caused by changes in our circadian rhythm, that internal natural clock that runs our sleep, our mood and our appetite,” Albers said.
