"The Sun did not shine, it was too wet to play, so we sat in the house all that cold, cold wet day."

I'm sure any Dr. Suess fan has heard that line.

The Cat in the Hat was quite an extraordinary book, in my opinion. A bit far-fetched, though. Alas, there is little chance that anyone these days will be visited by an intelligent, fun-loving, hat-wearing cat during those notoriously dark and gloomy rainy days.

Personally, winter can be a claustrophobic time for me. The cold just isn't my thing, so unless my parents have the free time to spend a day out, I'm normally stuck inside the house.

I'm not sure which is worse -- feeling cold or feeling lazy.

And I (as well as my family, I'm sure) definitely noticed my irritability just a little bit after school let out for winter break. And I wasn't the only one. A day into break, my older sister started whining, "I want to got to school!"

According to Dr. Debra Moore of Sacramento Psychology, "for about four to six percent of Americans, a seasonal pattern of mood changes has a dramatic effect on their lives."

Seasonal Affect Disorder, or SAD, is often observed in people during the seasons of fall and winter. The effects of SAD can even last for up to five months, mostly occurring in the period from November through March.

Seasonal Affect Disorder can result in depression, which may likely be linked to lack of sunlight, as well as symptoms such as increased sleep duration (which would further strengthen the effects of SAD, as more sleep means less time in the sun), increased appetite, and social isolation.

The American Psychiatric Association also indicates that colder months -- which limit exposure to sunlight -- are not the only points of the year during which people can develop SAD. According to the APA, people who spend their days in an office building or other environments of the sort where there isn't much exposure to sunshine time may experience symptoms of SAD throughout the entire year.  

Studies show that most people in the Northern Hemisphere experience Seasonal Affect Disorder during the winter time, when daylight hours are at an all time low, and inactivity at a high. I don't know about anyone else -- but I have PROBLEMS with laziness. I just can't stand the feeling. Winter time might also be a slow, isolated time for others. For me, a feeling of productivity usually comes from getting out of the house. But again -- I’m not sure I would choose to be frostbite over laziness.

However, even though the symptoms and behaviors relating to Seasonal Affect Disorder may be identifiable in many people, only up to four to six of Americans experience SAD, according to American Academy of Family Physicians, and it is evidently more common in women than in men over 20 years old. Symptoms of SAD often begin and end during a certain time of the year.

There is not a way to prevent Seasonal Affect Disorder, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, one way to ease the effects include exposing yourself to sunlight , spending time outside, and getting regular exercise.

I don't suffer from Seasonal Affect Disorder. But not getting my share of time in the sunlight and the great outdoors and, most definitely, physical activity is something I'm quite sure puts a damper on my mood and even on my self-esteem (once again, being lazy -- not fun for me).

I can't wait for spring.