Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder: Symptoms, Causes, and What Can Actually Help
Have you noticed that your mood starts to shift when the days get shorter? Maybe your energy fades, your motivation dips, and even small tasks feel heavier. You’re not imagining it — your body and mind are responding to real changes in light, rhythm, and routine.
What you might be experiencing is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — a form of depression that appears around the same time each year, usually as the light fades in late fall and winter. Here in Long Island and NYC, where we spend most of our days indoors or commuting under gray skies, it’s common to feel the weight of the season.
The good news? You’re not powerless against it. There are effective SAD treatments, from light therapy and gentle lifestyle changes to professional seasonal depression help, that can help you feel more grounded, steady, and yourself again.
What Exactly Is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?
Seasonal Affective Disorder isn’t just about feeling “a little down” in the winter. It’s a real, diagnosable type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, typically appearing in late fall and lifting in the spring.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, SAD is linked to how your brain responds to changes in daylight. When sunlight decreases, it can disrupt your body’s internal clock, affect your serotonin levels (which regulate mood), and increase melatonin (which makes you sleepy).
If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I feel like a different person in the winter,” you’re not alone, and there are real, evidence-based ways to treat it.
Signs You Might Be Experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder
SAD can look different for everyone, but some common signs include:
Feeling sad or heavy most days
Sleeping more but never feeling rested
Low energy or motivation
Craving carbs or sugar more than usual
Loss of interest in things you normally enjoy
Difficulty concentrating
Wanting to isolate or withdraw
Feeling hopeless or disconnected
If this sounds familiar and you’ve noticed it happening around the same time each year, it might be time to explore seasonal depression help with a mental health professional.
Why Does SAD Happen?
SAD has both biological and environmental causes. Think of it as your body reacting to less light and more stillness.
Here’s what’s happening underneath the surface:
1. Less Sunlight → Less Serotonin
Shorter days mean less sunlight, which can lower serotonin (your brain’s “feel-good” chemical) and affect mood.
2. More Darkness → More Melatonin
When it’s darker earlier, your body produces more melatonin — the hormone that helps you sleep. But too much melatonin can make you feel sluggish or foggy.
3. Vitamin D Deficiency
Sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D — a nutrient that supports serotonin activity and overall mood regulation. During the darker months, especially in northern regions like New York, vitamin D levels often drop. Research suggests that this deficiency may contribute to the onset or worsening of seasonal depression.
A 2014 study published in BMC Research Notes found that individuals with lower vitamin D levels reported significantly more seasonal affective symptoms during winter months compared to those with adequate levels. (BMC Research Notes, 2014)
4. Disrupted Circadian Rhythm
Your internal clock depends on light cues to regulate sleep and wake cycles. When those cues disappear, your mood and energy can fall out of sync.
Is It SAD or Just “Winter Blues”?
It’s easy to assume winter sadness is just part of the season — but Seasonal Affective Disorder goes beyond a dip in motivation.
Winter Blues
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Mild, short-lived
Persistent, cyclical
Doesn’t interfere much with daily life
Disrupts energy, focus, and relationships
Often lifts with small changes
Usually needs structured SAD treatment
If you feel like your spark disappears every year around this time, it’s not weakness, it’s your body asking for more light, support, and care.
Effective SAD Treatments (That Actually Work)
Here’s the hopeful part; SAD is treatable. You can absolutely feel better with the right combination of lifestyle adjustments, therapy, and support.
1. Light Therapy: Bringing the Sunlight Indoors
Light therapy (or phototherapy) is one of the most effective ways to treat SAD. It uses a specialized lamp that mimics natural daylight to reset your body’s internal clock and boost serotonin.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, light therapy can start improving mood and energy in as little as one week.
How to use it effectively:
Choose a 10,000 lux light box (UV-free).
Use it within the first hour of waking up.
Sit 16–24 inches away for 20–30 minutes.
Don’t stare directly at it — just go about your morning routine.
Light therapy can be a beautiful morning ritual; a way of literally welcoming light back into your day.
2. Therapy for Seasonal Depression
While light therapy supports the body, therapy supports the mind and both are important.
At Evolving Through Grief Counseling Services, I often help clients explore how the winter months bring up more than just fatigue. This season can stir deeper emotional layers — grief that feels sharper in the quiet, strain or disconnection in your relationships, the weight of work or financial stress, and the constant pressure of parenting or caring for others when you’re already running on empty. For some, it’s also a time when postpartum emotions resurface or a growing sense of “Who am I now?” begins to take hold.
When life slows down and distractions fade, the feelings we’ve tucked away all year tend to rise to the surface. Therapy can be a space to untangle those layers with compassion. Helping you find steadiness, meaning, and a renewed connection to yourself in this particular season of your life.
Through therapy, we can work together to:
Recognize seasonal patterns and emotional triggers
Build coping tools that align with your capacity and energy
Create structure and boundaries that protect your mental health
Reconnect to meaning, purpose, and self-compassion
Using approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based strategies, we’ll not only ease symptoms but explore what your emotions are trying to tell you, so healing can happen on a deeper level.
3. Daily Habits That Lighten the Load
You don’t need to overhaul your life to manage SAD. Sometimes it’s about layering in small, meaningful habits that bring light, literally and emotionally.
Try incorporating:
Midday sunlight. Even 10 minutes of outdoor light helps.
Movement that feels good. Stretching, yoga, or a walk around the block counts.
Nourishing foods. Add omega-3s, leafy greens, and lean protein for energy.
Gentle connection. Text a friend, share a meal, or attend a local workshop.
Rest without guilt. Slower seasons call for slower rhythms. Listen to your body.
4. Medication or Supplements
In some cases, antidepressants or vitamin D supplements can help regulate mood and energy. If you suspect low vitamin D, talk to your doctor about testing — it’s very common during winter in Long Island and NYC. (Harvard Health)
When to Reach Out for Seasonal Depression Help
Reach out for professional support if you notice:
You’ve been feeling down or fatigued for two or more weeks
Your motivation has dropped significantly
You’ve lost interest in things that normally bring joy
Sleep or appetite changes are affecting your day-to-day
You’re feeling hopeless, anxious, or overwhelmed
You don’t have to wait until it gets worse — early SAD treatment can help you prevent symptoms from deepening and bring relief faster.
How I Can Help
If you’re noticing that winter feels heavier, emotionally or physically, this is your reminder: you don’t have to carry it alone.
At Evolving Through Grief Counseling Services, I help individuals and couples navigate the many ways this season can feel complicated — whether you’re coping with grief, relationship strain, work stress, parenting demands, postpartum changes, or the unsettling feeling of not quite knowing who you are in this chapter of life. Even if you are just looking for therapy for anxiety, depression or a therapist to support you when it all just feel like too much, I'm here to support you.
Together, we’ll uncover what your body and heart need to feel balanced again through grounding practices, gentle mindset work, and personalized coping strategies that actually fit into your real life.
You don’t need to wait for spring to feel lighter.
Finding Light Again in Long Island & NYC
Winter in Long Island and NYC can be cold, busy, and isolating but it doesn’t have to disconnect you from yourself. With the right therapist, you can learn to bring your own light into the season.
If you’ve been wondering whether what you’re feeling is “just the winter blues” or something more, consider this your gentle nudge to reach out. You deserve care that meets you where you are, not where you “should” be.
Therapy for Seasonal Depression in Long Island & NYC
You’re not meant to simply survive the winter months — you’re meant to feel supported through them. With light therapy, mindful self-care, and compassionate SAD treatment, you can reclaim your energy, mood, and peace of mind.
If you’re ready to feel lighter, more present, and grounded again, I’d love to support you.
👉 Schedule a consultation in Long Island or NYC to explore personalized help for Seasonal Affective Disorder and reconnect to your inner light this season.
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