We are losing daylight by the minute every day. It is an inextricable part of life in Alaska. But as darkness descends, so, too, does seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

About percent of Alaskans have been diagnosed with SAD, but Dr. Robert Lada of the Alaska Neurology Center suspects there are many more out there, suffering silently.

"It's frequently underdiagnosed," Lada said.

If his patients suspect they have SAD, Lada said one of his first questions is whether their sleep patterns have changed.

"They'll be falling asleep earlier, and they'll be staying asleep for a longer period of time and getting up later in the day," Lada said.

But SAD can be much more serious than getting a few extra hours of sleep. In extreme cases, the effects can be fatal.

"You may see an increase in suicide rates in the winter months," Lada said.

According to a University of Alaska Fairbanks study, Alaskans with schizophrenia are three times more likely to commit suicide when the days get shorter and the nights get longer.

Women are more prone to getting SAD than men.

To test whether you've actually got SAD, or are just suffering from a bad case of the winter blues, Lada said, "It has to be a major depressive episode occurring exclusively in the winter months and occurring on a yearly basis. So there needs to be a recurrence of that at least within a two years' period of time."

Here are some SAD symptoms: You're sleeping

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more. You're overeating. You're craving carbohydrates. You're less productive at work. You don't really feel like doing much.

"They come home, sit at home, they'll have the typical crying spells," Lada said.

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