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Patients who have mild symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) may find that certain actions can help ward off depression. Studies have found that people who take an hour-long walk in bright winter sunlight can significantly reduce their risk of SAD.

Patients can also try to boost the amount of light that enters their homes through opening blinds and adding skylights to their homes. Regular exercise and other stress-reduction techniques can help patients to feel more relaxed, making them less vulnerable to SAD.

Trips to sunny, warm-weather locales during winter – or to cool-weather places for those with reverse SAD – can help improve SAD symptoms.

In addition, the Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first medication (bupropion HCI extended-release tablets) for the prevention of depressive episodes in patients with SAD.