Overcoming the "Winter Blues": Insights and Possible Natural Solutions for Seasonal Mood Changes
David DeBonisI wake up on Sunday morning and my partner tells me that the time has changed. “Its Daylight Savings Time,” she says.
“No it’s not,” I contest.
“Yes, it is!” she insists. “It’s supposed to be eight right now, but it’s seven. So you got an extra hour of sleep.”
But I already know that the extra hour comes with a cost.
I begin to do the math in my head: Fall back, spring forward I recite in my mind. So, if we fall back, then when I leave work at 5pm, it will now be the equivelant of 6pm from last week. “So, 6pm is now… 5pm?” I ask.
“Yes.” she says.
“So it’s going to be dark when I leave work?”
“Probably.”
Crap.
My reaction was about much more than just the shift in hours. Sure, it would be dark when I got out of work from this point on. But what Daylight Savings really represented for me was the start of the “Winter Blues.”
I’ve always struggled with a deep, aching seasonal depression. I’ve never been officially ‘diagnosed’ with Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I am well aware that my mood has a major ‘tank’ just a few weeks after Daylight Savings time. Then, after all of the Holiday excitement dies down in January, it gets worse.
The Winter Blues, Seasonal Depression, and Seasonal Affective Disorder
First, I see it as important to define these terms and lay out their significance. All of the terms, in one way or another, refer to winter-related mood changes. However, they have important distinctions.
Seasonal Depression
Seasonal Depression is an umbrella term that encompasses mood changes that occur at certain times of the year—most often winter. Seasonal Depression isn’t an official ‘diagnosis,’ but it’s a term commonly used to describe mood alterations that coincide with changes in the season.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a clinical diagnosis that is a sub-type of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). SAD follows a predictable seasonal pattern, with symptoms typically starting in late fall and resolving in Spring. The condition is more prevalent in colder regions and/or regions further from the equator where daylight ours are significantly reduced during the winter.
Seasonal Affective Disorder can be subdivided into winter-pattern SAD and summer-pattern SAD. However, this article specifically relates to winter-patter SAD.
The “Winter Blues”
The term “winter blues” is a colloquial term to describe seasonal mood changes. People dealing with “winter blues” may feel more tired, have lower motivation, and experience a dip in mood or an increase in irritability or anxiety. They also may struggle with sleep.
“Winter blues” is also distinct from SAD because of the factors that influence it. SAD is a diagnosis that is influenced by changes in season and the resulting environmental changes such as shift in the length of days, shift in daylight intensity, shift in temperature, and shift in exposure to natural daylight.
On the other hand, the Winter Blues can also be influenced by social factors such as economic strain and emotional challenges associated with the holiday season.
A large quantity of people experience the “winter blues.” In fact, according to a study by the American Psychiatric Association, 40% of Americans say that their mood worsens in the winter, and 29% of Americans say that Daylight Savings time hurts their mental health.
The Causes of Seasonal Mood Shifts
There are a variety of factors that influence seasonal mood shifts in the winter. Many of these factors are strongly correlated with changes in daylight and temperature, and the downstream effects these changes have on the circadian rhythm.
Hours of Daylight and Seasonal Mood Shifts
As mentioned above, one of the primary culprits behind seasonal mood shifts is a lack of sunlight in the winter. The changes in sunlight rhythms affect the body and mind in a variety of ways.
First, due to the axis of the Earth relative to the sun, the length of the day is significantly shorter during the winter. Let’s take my hometown, Denver, Colorado (in the Northern Hemisphere) as an example.
In Denver, the Summer Solstice (the longest day of the year; generally around June 22nd) brings about 15 hours of daylight and 9 hours of nighttime. On the other hand, in Denver, the Winter Solstice (the shortest day of the year; generally around December 22nd) brings about 9 hours and 21 minutes of daylight with 14 hours and 39 minutes of nighttime.
The shorter length of days means that there is less time to spend outside in natural daylight during the winter months. Additionally, many people who work 9-5 shifts during the day are in an office or building for a majority of these daylight hours, meaning it is almost impossible to spend intentional time outdoors.
This sunlight exposure is critical for maintaining our body’s circadian rhythm, the internal clock that regulates sleep, mood, and energy levels. When days become shorter, the body’s circadian rhythm can become misaligned, leading to disruptions in mood and energy.
Intensity of daylight and seasonal mood shifts
Second, in regions far from the equator, the sun’s rays hit the earth at a shallow angle, which minimizes the amount of energy that hits any given spot. This is one of the factors contributing to colder temperatures, but also decreases the intensity of the light. This decreased intensity of light can also have a negative effect on the circadian rhythm, because the circadian rhythm relies on bright light as a zeitgeber.
Cold temperatures and seasonal mood shifts
Finally, the winter brings colder temperatures. These colder temperatures could mean that specific serotonin pathways are not activated, which can impact mood. A Study in the Journal of Psychopharmacology proposes that the “dysregulation of this thermosensitive population of serotonergic neurons plays an important role in stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders, including anxiety and affective disorders” (Lowry, Lightman, & Nutt, 2009). This passage suggests that the improper functioning of specific serotonin-related neurons sensitive to temperature changes is a critical factor in stress-related mental health issues.
Additionally, the colder temperatures associated with winter may be a barrier for people spending more time outside. This barrier may create a negative feedback loop where people spend even less time outside, which causes them to have less exposure to natural daylight, which causes them to have more circadian disruptions and depressive symptoms, which causes them to spend more time inside.
Biological Mechanisms of Seasonal Mood Shifts and the "Winter Blues"
We have already covered some of the biological mechanisms that contribute to seasonal mood shifts. However, there are many underlying mechanisms that contribute to the “winter blues.”
Circadian rhythm and light exposure
One of the primary culprits behind seasonal mood changes is the lack of sunlight in winter. Sunlight exposure is critical for maintaining our body’s circadian rhythm, the internal clock that regulates sleep, mood, and energy levels. When days become shorter, the body’s circadian rhythm can become misaligned, leading to disruptions in mood and energy.
Increase in Melatonin Production During the Day
During the darker months with shorter days, the body naturally produces more melatonin—a hormone that promotes sleep. Increased melatonin during the daytime can lead to a sense of tiredness and lethargy that can contribute to the low-energy feelings associated with seasonal depression, SAD, and the winter blues.
Serotonin and mood degulation
Reduced sunlight also affects serotonin levels. Studies show that lower light exposure can decrease serotonin production, increasing the likelihood of depressive symptoms. Since serotonin is closely tied to mood stability, this reduction can lead to the low, empty feelings often experienced during winter.
Vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D, known as the “sunshine vitamin,” is synthesized by the body when exposed to sunlight. Low levels of vitamin D, especially common in winter, are associated with depressive symptoms. Since vitamin D influences serotonin activity, a deficiency can exacerbate seasonal mood changes, making individuals more vulnerable to winter depression.
Lifestyle and habit changes
As mentioned above, the dark and cold winter weather often keeps people indoors. This leads to less physical activity, less social interaction, and increased isolation. These lifestyle shifts contribute to lower mood and motivation, because exercise and socializing are natural mood boosters. They are also circadian “zeitgebers.” Additionally, cold weather can lead to cravings for high-carb comfort foods, causing fluctuations in energy levels and potentially impacting mood.
Potential Solutions and Interventions for Seasonal Mood Changes
Last year I made it through my seasonal depression smoother than ever. This is because I used research-backed methods to regulate my circadian rhythm and boost my neurological health.
Here are the researched-backed methods I used to thrive:
1. Exposure yourself to natural daylight (especially early in the day)
Morning Sunlight: If possible, expose yourself to natural light in the morning. Even 10-15 minutes outside can support circadian rhythm alignment and provide a mental boost for the day ahead.
2. Engage in moderate-to-intense exercise 4x/week (especially early in the day)
Exercise has been shown to release endorphins and serotonin, natural mood enhancers. Studiesalso indicate that even moderate exercise can be as effective as antidepressants for mild depression. However, high intensity exercise has been shown to improve stress-related disorders like anxiety and depression.
Exercise is best in the early AM because exercise is a circadian “zeitgeber,” meaning it ‘sets the clock’ for your brain’s natural rhythms.
Exercising outdoors provides both the benefits of physical activity and exposure to natural light. Outdoor movement, especially in the morning, is a powerful way to combat winter lethargy.
3. Improve habits, schedules, and routines on awakening and before bed
Implement a Semi-Consistent Sleep Schedule: Maintaining a regular sleep schedule can align your circadian rhythm and prevent disruptions in energy and mood. Going to bed and waking up at similar times (including on the weekends) is best practice for optimum circadian rhythm.
Turn off Screens before Bed, and/or only use red light: Using screens before bed can interfere with sleep quality by exposing you to blue light. Blue light can suppress melatonin, the hormone responsible for signaling your body to sleep. To prepare your body for rest, aim to turn off screens at least a half hour before bed. I have found that reading a book with a dim lamp is the best method to prepare my mind for sleep.
If you have to use any devices, consider using a red-light filter. Red light has a much smaller impact on melatonin production and can help ease your transition to sleep.
Check out this video I made on adjusting the settings on your phone to minimize blue light at night.
Disclaimer
None of the information in this article is medical advice of any kind. My primary goal is to write experience-based, research-backed articles outlining insights towards achieving optimal health.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). *APA poll: Mood changes in winter*. Retrieved November 7, 2024, from https://www.psychiatry.org/News-room/News-Releases/APA-Poll-Mood-Changes-in-Winter
Arguelles-Prieto, R., Bonmati-Carrion, M. A., Rol, M. A., & Madrid, J. A. (2019). Determining Light Intensity, Timing and Type of Visible and Circadian Light From an Ambulatory Circadian Monitoring Device. Frontiers in physiology, 10, 822. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.00822
Eastman CI. Natural summer and winter sunlight exposure patterns in seasonal affective disorder. Physiol Behav. 1990 Nov;48(5):611-6. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(90)90199-e. PMID: 2082359.
Lowry, C. A., Lightman, S. L., & Nutt, D. J. (2009). That warm fuzzy feeling: brain serotonergic neurons and the regulation of emotion. Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England), 23(4), 392–400. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269881108099956
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Seasonal affective disorder. Retrieved November 7, 2024, fromhttps://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/seasonal-affective-disorder
Mayo Clinic. (2023, May 24). Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - Symptoms and causes.https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651
National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Seasonal affective disorder. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder
