Coping with seasonal low mood and life transitions
Feeling low when the days get shorter, or after a big change such as a move, a new job, retirement, a new baby or children leaving home, is common and often passes. When the low mood is severe, lasts two weeks or more, or returns every year with the season, it is worth talking with a clinician.
Key points
Many people feel down in fall and winter. Seasonal affective disorder is more serious and recurs with the seasons.
Holiday stress and seasonal affective disorder are not the same thing.
Big life changes, even welcome ones, can bring stress, sadness and worry.
Routine, movement, sleep and connection can support mood during a hard stretch.
Treatment choices, including light therapy, supplements and medication, belong in a conversation with a clinician.
What is seasonal affective disorder?
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) notes that many people feel down or have the winter blues when the days get shorter in fall and winter, and feel better in spring when longer daylight returns. Sometimes the mood changes are more serious and affect how a person feels, thinks and behaves. That pattern is called seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.
NIMH describes SAD as a type of depression with a recurrent seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting about 4 to 5 months out of the year. In most cases symptoms start in late fall or early winter and go away during spring and summer. A less common form brings depressive symptoms in the spring and summer months.
Location plays a part. According to NIMH, SAD is more common in people living farther north, where winter daylight hours are shorter. It also occurs much more often in women than in men.
What are the symptoms of seasonal low mood?
SAD includes the symptoms associated with depression, such as a persistent sad or empty mood, loss of interest in activities, low energy and difficulty concentrating. NIMH also lists symptoms specific to each seasonal pattern. Not every person with SAD has all of them.
Winter pattern: oversleeping
Winter pattern: overeating, particularly with a craving for carbohydrates, leading to weight gain
Winter pattern: social withdrawal, or feeling like hibernating
Summer pattern: trouble sleeping
Summer pattern: poor appetite, leading to weight loss
Summer pattern: restlessness, agitation and anxiety
Is it winter blues, holiday stress, or SAD?
The difference matters. NIMH says winter-pattern SAD should not be confused with holiday blues, which are feelings of sadness or anxiety brought on by stresses at certain times of year. The depression associated with SAD is related to changes in daylight hours, not the calendar. Stress tied to the holidays, family visits, or predictable changes in work or school schedules is real, but it is not the same as SAD.
Only a health care provider or mental health specialist can diagnose SAD. NIMH explains that a diagnosis looks for depressive episodes that occur during a specific season for at least 2 consecutive years, and more often in that season than at other times of the year. If your low mood does not fit that pattern, it still deserves attention.
How is seasonal affective disorder treated?
NIMH lists four main categories of treatment that can be used alone or in combination: light therapy, psychotherapy, antidepressant medication and vitamin D. We are reporting what NIMH says here, not recommending any of them for you. NIMH's own advice is to talk with a health care provider about the potential benefits and risks of each option and which is right for you.
A few points from NIMH show why that conversation matters. Light therapy is described as safe for most people, but people with certain eye diseases or people taking certain medications may need alternatives or medical supervision. Studies testing vitamin D for SAD have produced mixed results, and vitamin D can interact with some medications. Medication decisions belong with a prescriber.
Talk therapy is one of the four. NIMH describes a form of cognitive behavioral therapy adapted for SAD that works on negative thoughts related to the season and helps people identify and schedule pleasant, engaging activities to offset the loss of interest they typically feel.
Why can life transitions bring low mood?
A move, a job change, retirement, a new baby or a newly quiet house after children leave can each reshape your routines, roles and relationships at once. Even changes you wanted can leave you unsettled. MedlinePlus lists general life changes, moving to a different home or city, relationship problems and worries about money among the stressful events that can be hard to cope with.
For some people the reaction is stronger than expected and starts to affect work or social life. MedlinePlus describes a group of symptoms that can follow a stressful life event, including stress, anxiety, feeling sad or hopeless, and physical symptoms, most often beginning within 3 months of the event. Talk therapy is what most mental health professionals recommend in that situation.
New parenthood has its own pattern. NIMH describes the baby blues as mild, short-lasting mood changes and feelings of worry, unhappiness and exhaustion that many women experience in the first 2 weeks after giving birth. Mood changes that are severe or last longer than 2 weeks after childbirth may be signs of postpartum depression and are a reason to see a provider. Our article on women's mental health across life stages covers this in more depth.
What can help you cope during a hard season or transition?
Small, steady habits can support your mood while you adjust. NIMH suggests these self-care steps, and notes that it may take trial and error to find what works for you.
Get regular exercise. Small amounts add up
Eat healthy, regular meals and stay hydrated
Make sleep a priority and stick to a schedule
Schedule regular times for relaxing activities you enjoy, such as music, reading or time in nature
Decide what must get done now and what can wait
Remind yourself daily of things you are grateful for
Stay connected with friends or family who can offer emotional support and practical help
When to get professional help
NIMH advises seeking professional help for severe or distressing symptoms that have lasted 2 weeks or more, such as difficulty sleeping, appetite changes, trouble concentrating, or loss of interest in things you usually enjoy.
If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911. Our office does not provide emergency services.
How Balanced Life can help
Balanced Life Counseling Services offers depression counseling, individual counseling and women's counseling from offices in Salisbury, on Maryland's Eastern Shore, and in Bethesda. Telehealth appointments are available too, which some people find easier during a move or with a newborn at home.
If you are not sure whether what you feel is a rough patch or something more, our article on signs of depression people often miss may help. To schedule, contact us or call 443-978-8688.
Frequently asked questions
Is seasonal affective disorder the same as the winter blues?
No. NIMH describes the winter blues as feeling down when the days get shorter, which many people experience. Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression with more serious mood changes that affect how a person feels, thinks and behaves, and that return in a seasonal pattern. A provider can help tell them apart.
Should I buy a light box or take vitamin D for seasonal low mood?
That is a question for a health care provider. NIMH lists light therapy and vitamin D among treatments for winter-pattern SAD, but it also notes that light therapy is not suitable for everyone, that vitamin D study results are mixed, and that vitamin D can interact with some medications. A clinician can look at your health history first.
Why do I feel sad after a change I wanted, like retiring or moving?
Wanted changes still bring loss of routine, familiar people and a sense of role, and adjusting takes energy. MedlinePlus lists general life changes and moving among events that can be stressful to cope with. Feeling unsettled for a while is common. If sadness or worry is strong or is affecting work or relationships, talking with a therapist can help.
How long should I wait before asking for help with low mood?
You do not have to wait for a set point. As a guide, NIMH suggests seeking professional help when severe or distressing symptoms have lasted 2 weeks or more. After childbirth, mood changes that are severe or last longer than 2 weeks are a reason to see a provider. In a crisis, call or text 988 or call 911.
Sources
If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline). In an emergency, call 911.