The clocks fall back this Sunday, November 1. That extra hour of sleep is nice. The 5 p.m. sunsets that come with it are another story.
For a lot of us, shorter, darker days bring a heavier mood. We feel slower, more tired, less like ourselves, and we tell ourselves it's just the season. Sometimes it is. But for some people, those changes add up to something more: a type of depression that follows the seasons.
Here's how to tell the difference, what actually helps, and when it's time to reach out.
The winter blues or something more?
Feeling a little lower when it's cold and dark is common. Seasonal affective disorder, often called SAD or seasonal depression, is different. It's a real form of depression that comes and goes with the seasons, usually starting in late fall or early winter and easing in spring.
Along with the usual signs of depression, like feeling down most of the day, losing interest in things you love and feeling hopeless, winter-pattern seasonal depression often looks like:
- Sleeping much more than usual, and still waking up tired
- Craving carbs and comfort food, and gaining weight
- Pulling away from people, sometimes described as wanting to hibernate
- Low energy that makes everyday tasks feel heavy
It's more common in women and in people who live farther north, where winter days are shortest. If these feelings show up around the same time each year and last for weeks, it's worth paying attention.
Why it can be easy to miss
Many of us were raised to push through. To keep going, take care of everyone else and not make a fuss. That strength is real, but it can also make it harder to admit when we're struggling, or to recognize depression in ourselves at all.
Black women are also less likely to be offered mental health care, and more likely to have our symptoms brushed off. And because darker skin makes less vitamin D from sunlight, low vitamin D is more common for us. Research on whether vitamin D helps seasonal depression is still mixed, but it's worth asking your provider to check your levels.
What actually helps
- Get morning light. Step outside or sit by a bright window soon after you wake up, even on cloudy days. Natural light helps set your body clock and lift your energy.
- Ask about a light box. Light therapy, using a special lamp for about 20 to 30 minutes each morning, is one of the main treatments for seasonal depression. It isn't right for everyone, so talk to your provider before starting.
- Keep moving. A daily walk, ideally outdoors and in daylight, is one of the simplest mood supports there is.
- Protect your routine. Keep regular sleep and wake times, even after the clocks change, and eat regular, balanced meals.
- Stay connected. When you want to hibernate, reach out anyway. A call, a walk with a friend or a standing dinner date helps more than it feels like it will.
- Talk to someone. Therapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy, works well for seasonal depression, and medication can help too. Both are worth discussing with a provider.
When to get help
Reach out to a doctor or mental health professional if:
- You've felt down, hopeless or numb for more than two weeks
- It's getting hard to work, take care of your family or yourself
- You're sleeping or eating far more, or far less, than usual
- The same pattern comes back every fall or winter
Directories like Therapy for Black Girls and Psychology Today let you search for therapists, including Black women therapists, near you or online.
If you're having thoughts of harming yourself, please don't wait. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time, day or night.
The through line
The season will change again. Until it does, you don't have to just get through it. Get some light, stay close to your people, and if it's more than the blues, let someone help carry it.
This article is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. It cannot diagnose any condition. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your symptoms and before starting any treatment, including light therapy or supplements. If you are in crisis in the US, call or text 988. Full disclaimer.
