As the fall days get shorter, you may notice your energy, sleep, appetite, or motivation changing too. A few lower-energy days do not automatically mean you have a mental health condition, but if a pattern returns each year and begins to affect how you feel, think, or function, it may deserve attention.
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression with a recurring seasonal pattern. The National Institute of Mental Health describes winter-pattern SAD as typically beginning in late fall or early winter and improving in spring, while noting that a smaller number of people experience a summer pattern.
What to notice
It may help to look at changes over time rather than judging one hard week. Notice whether low mood or loss of interest lasts, whether daily tasks feel much harder, and whether your sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, or social habits have shifted. You could keep a simple log noting the date, mood, sleep, and activities. Gathering some data may help to make the pattern clearer.
Seasonal mood symptoms can overlap with depression, stress, grief, physical health conditions, and life changes. “It’s just winter” may be true for some people and may overlook a pattern that needs care for others.
Bright Light Therapy to the Rescue!
One step you could take is to try “Bright Light Therapy” (BLT) and see if it helps. This is the current standard treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder (also now renamed as “Major Depressive Disorder, with seasonal pattern”). Bright Light Therapy means to use a “light box” which emits 10,000 lux of light first thing in the morning every day within 30 minutes of waking for a duration of 30 minutes, starting in the fall as the days get shorter and through the winter and early spring. There’s a great deal of research to support this treatment method. Here’s one article for example: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6746555/
Here are the current treatment recommendations for Bright Light Therapy for SAD:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Light source | Fluorescent light box with diffusion screen. |
| Light intensity | Standard Treatment: 10,000 lux for 30 minutes Alternative Treatment: 2,500 lux for 1–2 hours |
| Wavelengths | Full-spectrum visible light. |
| Light source position | The light box is angled ~30° from the line of gaze. The user does not stare directly into the light. As the illuminance (in lux) delivered to the cornea is dependent on distance, the user sits at a distance specified by the device (usually 12–24”). |
| Daily treatment | Morning treatment with time varying depending on intensity of light. (i.e. 30 mins for 10,000 lux, 1–2h for 2,500 lux). |
| Length of treatment | Unclear, though data suggest symptoms should begin to remit within the first week of therapy and cessation of therapy may lead to relapse. One recommendation for SAD patients: to begin in the autumn and continue through the spring. |
| Treatment variations (not as effective as traditional BLT) | Dawn simulation: Gradual increase in bedside light in the AM after awakening. Evening treatment. For some with normal awakening: 1–2 hours in the evening ending 1 hour before bedtime. |
| Side effects | Minimal: Headache, eye strain, nausea. Patients with glaucoma, cataracts, or retinopathy should be under the supervision of an ophthalmologist. Caution is recommended with a photosensitive medical condition (e.g. SLE) or when taking photosensitizing medications (e.g. some antibiotics) Monitor for emergence of hypomania/mania |
Here’s an example of what to look for in a light box: https://www.amazon.com/Verilux-HappyLight-Lucent-Therapy-UV-Free/dp/B079YBGPM5/ref=sr_1_6?returnFromLogin=1&sr=8-6
Remember – don’t look directly at the light box. Have it sitting at an angle next to you.
Therapy part of your support
If BLT isn’t enough to resolve your seasonal depression, you might want to consider reaching out to a therapist to determine whether your depression symptoms require further treatment. It might not just be a seasonal depressive episode you are experiencing. Consider reaching out if mood changes persist, interfere with relationships or work, or make it difficult to care for yourself.
I offer therapy for depression in Raleigh and online across North Carolina. I use Emotional Transformation Therapy (ETT) and Brainspotting to quickly and effectively address depression. You can read a bit more on my depression therapy page.
You are welcome to reach out for a free 15 minute consultation at (910) 502-3339 if you’d like to discuss how I address depression in therapy, and to see if we would be a good fit for working together.
