Winter Depression: What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

Why do the winter months suck? Why does it feel like I can’t get out of bed when it’s cold outside? As the days get colder and the sunlight gets more sparse, you might be feeling more down. Sometimes, this experience can be a form of seasonal depression: Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

SAD is most commonly experienced with a late-fall onset with symptoms continuing through the late winter, although some people experience an onset of symptoms in the summer. Some common symptoms include:

• Wanting to isolate, not feeling up to seeing friends and engaging socially when you usually would

• Lack of energy. Wanting to hibernate, feeling tired even when you’ve had adequate rest.

• Difficulties with sleep (undersleeping, oversleeping, finding it hard to fall asleep or to stay awake)

Whether you just have the winter blues or experience SAD, managing symptoms is important and doable. Some examples can be:

• Get natural light when you can! Prioritize enjoying the sun when possible, or the closest thing that you can to the sun (like a sun lamp indoors).

• Keep a routine with easy meals, a consistent time where you go to bed and wake up, and activities that you enjoy.

• Reach out for support from your friends. Ask for encouragement to attend social gatherings, or to accommodate some lower-energy hangouts.

• Seek mental health support to better explore and understand your symptoms.

If you find yourself struggling for prolonged periods of the year, take some time to recognize your typical patterns and explore potential systems that might help you overcome the difficulties that can come with different seasons.