No one loves a discussion about the weather more than British people. Not only is it the go-to topic for polite small-talk, but it also gives us something to constantly moan about.  

 

March is home to two important weather-centric dates. The 20th of March signals the start of spring and the 23rd of March is World Meteorological Day.  Despite these frequent discussions and dates to remind us of how important weather is in our lives, few people realise the significant patterns which exist between seasonal change and mental health issues. 

 

In a survey conducted for this magazine on how seasonal change impacted on the public’s mental health, nine out of ten respondents said they believed the weather had an impact on their mood. Specifically, eight of ten people said they experienced an overall lower mood in winter.  

 

People commonly experience the ‘Winter Blues’, a period of mood suppression, as a result of the days becoming gloomier and darker in winter. However, the seasons can have serious implications on certain individuals' mental health which goes further than a slight, and fleeting, alteration in their usual mood.  

 

Seasonal affective disorder, which is rather aptly abbreviated to SAD, is a mental health condition which causes sufferers to experience extreme low mood in connection to a specific season.  SAD is most commonly experienced in the winter months, however a small number of cases show it can occur in spring and summer. 

 

Between September and April the darker hours mean our bodies experience a lack of sunlight. In response to low amounts of sunlight our body produces more melatonin. Increased production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, leads to increased and more sustained tiredness and fatigue. 

 

As well as the production of melatonin, the lack of sunlight means our body produces less of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin regulates mood, social behaviours, appetite and sleep. The combination of increased melatonin and reduced serotonin levels leads certain individuals to experience symptoms of SAD.  

 

Dr Alistair Hooper has worked with many SAD sufferers in his role as a sports psychologist for professional cricket clubs. He explains why some individuals are affected by the disorder: “Some people are pre-disposed to suffering from SAD as a consequence of carrying the 5-HTTLPR gene, which regulates the release of serotonin. Others suffer due to geographical location, which is why the rate of SAD is so high in Scandinavian countries where they experience prolonged periods of less hours of light.” 

 

Counsellor Jill Ricketts speaks to many clients suffering from SAD. She has noticed patterns in the people she sees, “Many clients that I speak to who have been diagnosed with the disorder have other sufferers in their family, which suggests a genetic link. However, often there is a physiological reason. Those who have a deficiency in Vitamin D seem to be more affected by conditions like SAD.” 

 

The condition is a branch of major depressive disorder, commonly known as depression, with symptoms like persistent low mood and feelings of worthlessness being present in both disorders.  However, symptoms of SAD such as constant oversleeping and chronic cravings for carbohydrates are in stark contrast to the insomnia and loss of appetite repeatedly seen in cases of depression. 

 

Dr Hooper discusses his experience with sufferers of SAD: “Professional cricket is rife for SAD due to its seasonal dependence. In winter the players have dedicated psychological support to help them through the period.” 

 

He continued: “I have worked with numerous SAD suffers in elite sport and the symptoms normally present themselves similar to depressive episodes. In general, it is easier to deal with than depression because it is usually isolated to the winter months and therefore easier to diagnose. Treatment often includes counselling therapy, light therapy or sometimes a small dosage of anti-depressants.” 

 

According to the NHS, SAD affects one in 15 people in the UK between the months of September and April. The Weather Channel and YouGov found three out of ten people experienced symptoms of SAD in winter, with 21% of those affected suffering a milder form and 8% suffering acutely. 

 

More than half of people in the survey conducted on how the seasons impacted on the public’s mental health said that either they themselves, or someone that they know, suffer from symptoms of seasonal depression. 

 

Despite studies highlighting that a significant number of people are affected by the disorder, 31% of people in the survey said they had never heard of SAD. 

 

Counsellor Jill Ricketts suggests why this may be, “There has been a lack of awareness of SAD due to the medical community taking a while to acknowledge that SAD is a legitimate mental health issue. However, now it has been accepted as a real disorder, awareness and support for sufferers is improving.” 

 

Although the link between winter and an increase in depressive disorders may be obvious to some, other correlations between the seasons and mental health issues are more surprising.  

 

When survey respondents were asked which season they thought most suicides occurred in, 90% of them answered winter. Despite the common belief that most suicides occur in the winter due to the prevalence of conditions like SAD at that time, research on seasonal effects on suicide have found that suicide rates are generally higher in the late spring and early summer months. This is surprising, as seven out of ten people who took part in the survey cited summer as their happiest season and nearly a quarter of people said spring. 

 

An analysis of the Office for National Statistics report on suicide rates in England and Wales shows you are more likely to commit suicide if you are male. Males still account for 75% of suicides in England and Wales, a rate which has remained the same since the mid-1990s. Despite this fact, the male suicide rate is currently 15.5 deaths per 100,000. This is the lowest since the records began in 1981. 

 

As being male is a risk factor in suicide, many studies researching the link between rates of suicide and seasonal change have chosen to focus on males. Simkin and three colleagues from Oxford University conducted a study looking at farming suicides in England and Wales. They specifically chose to focus on male farmers as they work outside all year round, so are affected greatly by seasonal changes. They compared the suicide rates between farmers and non-farmers throughout the year. An analysis of the results show that farmer suicide rates increased by nearly 40% from February to March, the start of spring. Non-farmer suicide rates increased by 13% in the same period. This demonstrates that seasonal change can have a great impact on individuals mental health, as those who work outside and therefore are more affected by seasonal change, have a higher percentage increase in suicides as the seasons change. 

 

Dan Bowman runs The Running with Dogs Company, an outside training centre on a farm for dogs. His job involves working outside all year round, often starting very early and finishing late. He says his mental health is greatly affected by seasonal change, “I feel I may suffer from SAD because in the winter if it’s sunny and dry outside I feel fine. However, when it is very dark and cold my mood is really suppressed and I feel overwhelming negative emotions. I’ve noticed that from working outside all year I suffer a lot more from this problem than friends who work in offices.” 

 

However, it isn’t just in the UK that this pattern occurs. The National Center for Health Statistics have stated that suicide rates in the United States are at their lowest during winter and their highest during spring and summer.  

 

One particular longitudinal study conducted by F. Stephen Bridges studied seasonal effects on suicide in the US from 1970 to 2000. The results from the study showed a consistent pattern each decade, with most suicides occurring in the spring and summer and the least in winter. An analysis of the results shows that in the 1970’s, 47% of the total variances in suicide rates could be explained by seasonal components with more suicides occurring in spring and summer. In the 1980’s there was a 27.7% increase in seasonal contribution to suicides and in the 1990’s 63% of suicides could be explained by seasonal components, with yet again more occurring in spring and summer. 

 

To investigate this trend further it is necessary to look at the reasons why the pattern of suicide rates rising in spring and summer may occur. An international study conducted by Petridou, which focused on 20 countries, stated that seasonal variation in suicides followed the seasonal variation of sunshine rather than the corresponding variation of temperature. 

 

It is clear that there are significant patterns between seasonal change and the prevalence of mental health issues. However, mental health issues are extremely complex and although correlations between seasonal change and mental health issues can be established, causation cannot be. Despite this, with research and medical understanding growing in this area, sufferers are beginning to be given more support and guidance to aid them in their seasonal struggles.