Every year during seasonal changes, some of you may start to feel a subtle shift in your mood. The lush outdoor greenery eventually turns brown and falls off, the air gets colder, and before you know it, it’s winter. During this time, waking up can feel a little harder, and you find yourself spending more time indoors than out.

With daylight savings, that earlier darkness can sneak up quickly, and your social plans might slow down. You can find yourself feeling low, unmotivated, or more withdrawn. If this sounds familiar, you’re not imagining it, and what you may be experiencing could be Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). As a psychiatric nurse practitioner at Lavender, I see my clients go through this cycle every year, and my goal has always remained the same: to help make winter feel a little less harsh and a little more manageable using real evidence-based techniques.

Noticing and Tracking Shifts in Your Mood

When the season changes, our bodies and minds often shift with it. SAD shares many symptoms with depression, but the difference is that it follows a predictable seasonal pattern. You might notice some physical shifts, like wanting more sleep, having more cravings (especially sweets), or even getting headaches. Or maybe you start noticing some emotional changes such as feeling more irritable or even having intrusive thoughts.¹

Whatever mix of emotions you might be feeling, one of the first things that I encourage my clients to do is to simply check in with themselves—and there are many ways to do this. For example, you can jot down how you’re feeling each morning or night, or keep a journal where you ask yourself a few self-reflective questions like:

• How am I feeling today?
• Was there anything that uplifted my mood?
• How well did I sleep last night?
• Have there been any shifts in my appetite lately?

SAD shares many similar symptoms as depression, but with one major difference: it follows a predictable seasonal pattern. Symptoms typically begin in late fall or winter and improve by spring or summer for most people. This has a lot to do with how the shorter days can throw off our sleep rhythms and affect the brain chemicals that help support our mood. Research shows that SAD affects women more often than men, and that young adults are more sensitive to seasonal changes than older adults. People who have experienced depression or bipolar disorder are more susceptible to develop SAD symptoms.² 

How to Manage SAD Symptoms at Home

Write in a Journal

One of the best things you can do is to track your symptoms in a journal. Write down any changes that affect your:

• Mood
• Energy levels
• Sleep
• Eating patterns
• Daily functioning (how are your symptoms influencing your daily life?)

As a psych NP, understanding how aware my clients are about their symptoms can be incredibly helpful when it comes to noticing patterns and choosing the most supportive interventions that’ll work best for them.

Try Phototherapy (Light Therapy)

Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any type of light therapy, which is one non-medicated approach that’s rooted in evidence-based care.³ If you’re interested in pursuing it, the recommended amount is using a 10,000 lux light box for 30 minutes each morning, but this does come with a few side effects and may not be suitable for people with certain pre-existing health conditions that can worsen through this treatment option.

Make Lifestyle Changes

Making a few conscious changes in your lifestyle can go a long way when it comes to managing symptoms. Some changes can include:

• Prioritizing whole foods while reducing processed or sugary foods
• Living an active lifestyle (going on walks, stretching, exercising, etc.)
• Getting as much natural sunlight and outdoor exposure as possible, even in winter!
• Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule
• Staying connected with your friends or family

Finding Extra Mental Health Support

SAD is a very treatable condition that you don’t have to go through alone. For some people, medication like SSRIs can help balance your brain chemicals as your body adjusts to shorter days. Supplements, like vitamin E, may also be helpful, and we can talk through whether that’s a good fit for you. Therapy approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy bring another set of powerful tools that we can use to help reshape thought patterns and build coping skills, even when your motivation is low.

If the winter blues have you feeling low and you’d like a bit of extra support, you can fill out our short intake form—it only takes a few minutes. Within a few days, you’ll connect with a board-certified psychiatric nurse practitioner who will listen, understand what you’re going through, and help you create a tailored toolbox for your mental health for the winter season and beyond.

References

¹ American Medical Association. (2023). What doctors wish patients knew about seasonal affective disorder. https://www.ama-assn.org/public-health/behavioral-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-seasonal-affective-disorder

² Kurlansik, S. L., & Ibay, A. D. (2023). Seasonal affective disorder. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568745/

³ National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Seasonal affective disorder. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder