The clouds overhead, the color of the leaves slowly fading and the browning grass left me feeling, well, gray.

I am part of a growing population that suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a form of depression that is linked to diminished sunlight absorption.

From the end of October to the beginning of April, when the sun hides for more hours than not, SAD sufferers can feel pretty blah.

Symptoms can include over-sleeping, increased appetite, cravings for carbs, irritability, drowsiness and a general feeling that you are having more bad days than good.

As the daylight hours increase, if a person is suffering from SAD, those symptoms will go away.

One of my favorite songs, "Grey Street" by Dave Matthews Band, happens to correspond with a lot of the feelings that I go through during SAD season.

The chorus goes, "There's an emptiness inside her, and she'd do anything to fill it in. But all the colors mix together -- to grey, and it breaks her heart."

I first noticed this while I was in middle school, but didn't know how to deal with it until recently.

The first way to deal with SAD is light therapy. There are alarm clocks out on the market that give off a dim light hours before your alarm goes off, and slowly brightens until it's time to wake up.

There are also artificial sunlight light bulbs that can replace regular bulbs.

Taking care of yourself is an important way to combat the "cold weather grays."

Exercise is a large part of it -- not just getting up to take the trash out, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

A good 15 minutes on a bike, walking, jogging or shooting hoops a couple times a week can not only help you feel better about yourself, but also releases feel-good endorphins in your brain.

Another important part of beating SAD is eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

The sun makes us produce lots of Vitamin D, but when there isn't a lot of sunlight available we need to compensate.

Spinach and dairy products are good Vitamin D sources.

Solutions come in simple forms, as well.

Waking up and going to bed at the same time every day can help.

Spending time with friends and family can also serve as pick-me-ups.

If the symptoms persist past Spring's bloom, seeing a professional about depression is important.

Everyone has bad days, but when there are more bad than good, reevaluation may be necessary.

Tuesday, I went out and bought bananas, went to the gym and paid attention to when I went to bed.

I'm determined to beat SAD this winter. I'm not going to let it ruin another five months of my life.

For more information on Seasonal Affective Disorder, visit www.webmd.com and search Seasonal Affective Disorder.