What is Seasonal Affective Disorder & How Do I Combat It?
Winter can be a difficult time for many- the sun abruptly sets at 5 pm after a summer spent drinking in the outdoors, the chill ushers you inside, your body loudly requests more time to sleep. The cheer of holiday gatherings and twinkling lights help to lift our spirits until New Year’s celebrations have passed and we settle in for three more months of winter weather. A friend said to me this week, “I leave the house for work at six in the morning, its cold and dark out. Then I get off work at four pm and by the time I get home the sun has set. How am I supposed to have the motivation to do anything?”
If this sounds like you, you aren’t alone. 41% of Americans say that their mood tends to decline in the winter, and 5% of the population is impacted by Seasonal Affective Disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2024). Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons. Mayo Clinic reports “symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. These symptoms often resolve during the spring and summer months” (2025). For people who experience SAD, symptoms may include having low energy, the increased need to sleep, a lack of interest in activities they typically enjoy, overeating, social withdrawal, and physical aches and pains (NIMH, 2025).
Why does SAD occur? Winter-SAD is thought to be due to the lack of sunlight. Sunlight helps with Vitamin D levels, and Vitamin D is thought to be linked with the neurotransmitter serotonin (NIMH, 2025). Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that influences mood, sleep, and appetite- all bodily functions that impact overall happiness. When considering this information alongside data on who SAD impacts, the argument makes sense. The further north a person lives the more likely they are to develop SAD, and people living in tropical climates do not report winter-SAD at all (Renown Health, 2022). SAD also tends to occur more often in women than in men, and tends to be comorbid with other psychological disorders (NIMH, 2025).
Luckily, there are treatments for SAD, including light therapy, psychotherapy, Vitamin D, and antidepressant medication. Before engaging in treatments of SAD, it is recommended that you speak with your primary care provider to ensure that the treatment is safe for you. National Institute for Mental Health shares that in light treatment, the person sits in front of a very bright light box (10,000 lux) every day for about 30−45 minutes, usually first thing in the morning, from fall to spring. The light box, which is about 20 times brighter than ordinary indoor light, filters out the potentially damaging UV light, making this a safe treatment for most. Psychotherapy can help people with SAD by teaching them new ways of thinking and behaving and changing habits that contribute to depression. Medications used to treat depression can be effective for SAD when used alone or in combination with talk therapy. Antidepressants work by changing how the brain produces or uses certain chemicals involved in mood or stress. Because many people with winter-pattern SAD have vitamin D deficiency, vitamin D supplements may help improve symptoms. However, studies testing vitamin D as a treatment for SAD have produced mixed results, with some studies indicating that it is as effective as light therapy and other studies finding no effect. (2025).
There are also behavioral changes one can make to improve impacts of SAD- in fact, the people of Scandinavia have become masters of combating seasonal depression. In Denmark, a concept called “hygge” (pronounced hyoo-guh) is a nearly universal practice. I first learned about hygge while studying in Copenhagen in January 2016. My friend Anne was the first to explain it to me, and while there isn’t an equivalent in the English language, it essentially translates to an intentionally cozy lifestyle. Danes listen to soft music, host comfort-food heavy dinner parties, wrap blankets around themselves at cafes, and dress their homes with twinkle lights and candles. (At the time Danes proudly boasted they used the most candles per capita.) The Danes are successful in making hygge work for their mental health for two reasons- hygge promotes mindfulness presence, and it normalizes our bodies’ need to slow down. Therapy for Women explains, “Being present is how we experience joy and pleasure. Pleasure in the food we are eating, the company we are keeping, and the memories we are making. Hygge is more of a feeling than a word. It’s about the experience, getting lost in the moment, and being content by experiencing simplicity with intentional interaction and gratitude” (2024).
So give yourself permission to go to bed an hour early, or for suggesting to meet up with your best friend over a cup of tea at home instead of happy hour. This is just a season, and you are practicing being intentionally attuned to the needs of your body.
Take good care - Brittany
