It's no wonder people find this time of the year especially stressful.

The weeks of parties and presents have ended and the sun spends much of its time on the other side of the world, making the daylight hours short.

"We're tired, we've been eating rich foods and drinking too much alcohol and we're not at our best, so everything looks bleaker than it really is," explains psychotherapist David Schatzky.

But there's a name for the January blahs - and there's also a way to beat them.

Many people experience 'cabin fever' in the winter months, and may find themselves sleeping and eating more than usual. That's normal. Even lamenting the financial burden of the holiday season can take its toll, and that's normal too.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a much more serious reaction to the season, isn't normal.

According to the Mayo Clinic , the short days may trigger feelings of depression, lethargy, fatigue and other problems - and, they warn, it's not something you can just 'tough out.'

Symptoms of winter-onset seasonal affective disorder include:

• Depression
• Hopelessness
• Anxiety
• Loss of energy
• Social withdrawal
• Oversleeping
• Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates
• Weight gain
• Difficulty concentrating and processing information

If you're just feeling blue, the symptoms won't be so intense, they won't last as long and in some cases, they won't even exist. When they do, sleeping a little longer, eating a little better and shaking up your routine can all make a difference. Exercise is a great example, and it can help boost your serotonin levels and improve your body image.

So how can you tell if you've got the blahs or something more serious?

Click here for the Clinic's online health resource.

Information courtesy the Mayo Clinic.

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