Changing of the Leaves

As the weather changes throughout North Texas, the beautiful colors of fall are beginning to show through out the trees. As the foliage begins to change in response to the season, you may notice a few other changes around you, as well. The further it gets into fall and early winter, the days continue to become shorter. You may find you need to schedule your evening walks earlier, in order to take advantage of the sunlight! While some may celebrate the change in temperature, daylight hours, and leaves, some may find the season to be less enjoyable, and may experience a drop in motivation and energy. Still others may respond to these changes in an even more intense manner, and experience fatigue, social withdrawal, and hopelessness. These feelings may be related to a seasonal depression, known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is related to how the chemicals in the brain react to changes in available sunlight, among other things. If you feel that you are experiencing some of these acute changes in feelings and behaviors as the seasons change, you should contact your doctor and discuss whether Seasonal Affective Disorder may be the cause.