The sun goes down early in the winter, and the sky often is gray. All that darkness can lead to the winter blues or a more serious condition called seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

SAD typically surfaces in a person’s 20s but also can affect older children and teenagers.

Young people suffering from SAD may have sadness, anxiety, lack of energy, physical pain, social withdrawal and suicidal thoughts. They also may oversleep and overeat, particularly carbohydrates like bread, pasta and sugar.

SAD can affect people in the summer, too. Symptoms include having trouble sleeping, lack of appetite, restlessness, anxiety and aggressive behavior.

Following are tips for parents and caregivers to combat SAD.

• Make sure your kids get outside every day.
• Encourage kids to exercise regularly.
• Keep the shades and blinds open in your home to let in the sun.
• Prepare meals with a lot of fruits, vegetables and whole grains and fewer carbs.
• Plan a winter vacation to a sunny place.

Light boxes also may help ease the symptoms of SAD. Light boxes should have 10,000 lux of light. They should be used for 20-30 minutes within an hour of waking up in the morning. Light therapy may have side effects like headaches and nausea and may not be good for people with recent eye surgery, bipolar disorder or light sensitivity. Parents should talk with their pediatrician before trying light therapy.

Parents also should talk to their pediatrician if their child’s winter depression does not get better with these remedies.

For more information on seasonal affective disorder, visit HealthyChildren.org at https://bit.ly/3ZbKiXi.