An equation to assess your risk of suffering SAD

The formula is X = a x ((24-b) x (c+d+e) + f x (g+h+i)).

-- X refers to your risk rating, X can be any number from 0 to 828.

-- ?'a' refers to your inherent vulnerability - if there is no history of SAD/Depression/Winter Blues in your family, your ?'a' score will be 1. If there is a history your ?'a' score will be 2, a history plus your having had depression before gives you an ?'a' score of 3.

-- ?'b' refers to the number of hours of winter daylight in your area - the minimum is 6.

-- ?'c' refers to the psychological effect of leaving home or the office in darkness each day. If you go out each morning and come home each afternoon during daylight hours your ?'c' score will be 0. If it is dark on both occasions your ?'c' score will be 4.

-- ?'d' refers to your working conditions - conditions in relation to how much light contact you have during your work. The score is from 1 to four. A traffic policeman will experience more sunlight during his/her working hours than an office worker or a miner.

-- ?'e' refers to how much sunlight you experience while at home. You can score from 1 to 4.

-- ?'f' refers to your general levels of stress. You can score from 1 to 5.

-- ?'g' refers to how much contact you have with other people, social contact. You can score from 0 to 4.

-- ?'h' refers to how often you exercise. You can score from 1 to 4.

-- ?'i' looks at what you eat and drink - your diet. You can score from 0 to 4, zero meaning your diet is excellent.

If your total X score is 100 or less, your will ?'probably never' suffer from SAD or Winter Blues. You are at risk of moderate SAD if you score from 100 to 300. Anything over 300 and under 600 means you are at risk of suffering from SAD, to such a level that your quality of life will be affected. A score over 600 means you probably need medical help. Medical News Today