Seasonal Affective Disorder: How to Prep Your Body and Mind for Darker Days

This year, daylight saving time ended on November 5, marking the transition to shorter days and earlier sunsets. The shift, while giving an extra hour of morning light, can create seasonal challenges such as lethargy, low mood, and fluctuations in appetite, all of which are often more pronounced in winter months.

For individuals with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression linked to reduced seasonal light, these effects can be particularly severe. SAD impacts around 5 percent of adults in the United States, and its symptoms typically emerge in the fall or winter and can last until spring, according to the American Psychiatric Association. Symptoms may include persistent low energy, changes in sleep and appetite, feelings of hopelessness, and social withdrawal.

The abrupt end of daylight saving time can also disrupt established daily routines, making it harder for people to adjust. Studies have shown that the time change can impact sleep cycles, productivity, and even increase the risk of mood disorders.

To help manage these effects, Newsweek reached out to therapists and dieticians for expert advice on how to best prepare your body and mind for the end of daylight saving time.

Winter is Coming: How to Prep Your Body and Mind for Darker Days Photo Illustration by Newsweek

Mark Reinecke, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Northwestern University

If you're starting to feel down, sad, or depressed as the seasons change, let's acknowledge it. Labeling your feelings is a first step. Ask yourself, is this tied to an event of loss in my life, or simply coming with a change of seasons?

If it's due to a seasonal change, remember this is normal and predictable. SAD is a variant of major depression closely linked to the amount and duration of sunlight. Its onset and endpoint depend on how far north you live.

One solution is fairly straightforward—get more light. Purchase a SAD light and sit by it for 30-60 minutes a day. Open the blinds, work by a window, and get outside to maximize your exposure to natural light. If you can, plan a winter break to a warm and sunny place. A few years ago, we took a vacation to Southern California during February. What a difference! A burst of sunlight can help.

Watch your diet and exercise. It's easy to become sedentary during the dark days of winter, so stay active. Plan your days to elevate your mood, doing things each day that provide a sense of accomplishment, whether large or small. It's easy to become isolated during winter. Our moods decline as we withdraw from others, so stay socially engaged. Each day, find things that give you pleasure, do something meaningful, express gratitude, and nurture hope.

Jean Hughes, RN, PhD, Adjunct Professor, School of Nursing, Dalhousie University

Stress management is one of the best self-care strategies for coping with the end of daylight saving time and managing Seasonal Affective Disorder. I encourage making your environment sunnier and brighter. Open blinds, trim tree branches that block sunlight, or add skylights. Sit closer to bright windows at home or in the office.

It also helps to get outside. Take a long walk, eat lunch at a nearby park, or simply sit on a bench and soak up the sun. Even on cold or cloudy days, outdoor light can help, especially if you spend time outside within two hours of getting up in the morning.

I'd also advise regular exercise. Physical activity relieves stress and anxiety, and being more fit can make you feel better about yourself, too, which can lift your mood. I recommend normalizing your sleep patterns—set reliable times to wake up and go to bed each day. For those with fall-winter-onset SAD, it's especially helpful to reduce or eliminate napping and oversleeping.

Steven L. Dubovsky, M.D., Professor Emeritus and Immediate Past Chair, Department of Psychiatry, University at Buffalo

In order to adjust to the end of daylight saving time, try to keep regular bed and wake-up hours. If you feel lethargic in the morning or have trouble getting out of bed, and especially if you start feeling washed out, consider getting an artificial bright light.

Sit within a meter of the light and have it on for about 30 minutes in the morning. You can set it on a timer to go on when you want to wake up. It can be bright enough to seep through the covers or the pillow over your head.

Go easy on carbohydrates and sugar, as cravings for these goes up in the winter for many people. Stay physically active, even if you don't feel like it.

Try to keep up with friends and family. If you're not enjoying things that are usually fun, you've lost your sense of humor, you're more irritable or withdrawn than usual, your sleep has changed, or you can't let go of your feelings about recent events, you may be getting depressed. If bright light doesn't help, see your doctor. Seasonal depression responds to the same treatments as nonseasonal depression.

Edward H. Taylor, Ph.D., RCSW, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, University of British Columbia

To help prevent or manage Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it's important to begin preventive measures now, before the full darkness of winter sets in.

Effective strategies include establishing with a health professional an exercise program that gradually builds endurance over weeks. Increase social contact with positive, supportive friends and family, quickly ending negative conversations. Use meditation and mindfulness once or twice a day to gain a break from stress, and schedule a time, three times a day, to provide yourself with positive messages about yourself and others.

Tell yourself to "stop" when experiencing negative thoughts and immediately think and do something you find pleasant. Eat healthy foods and avoid soothing negative moods with junk food and sweets. Make sleep a priority, and consider using a light box for 15-60 minutes daily. If self-help measures don't bring relief, seek professional help.

Jennifer Chadbourne, MS, RDN, LDN, CDCES, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Food Systems, University of New Hampshire

Our diet plays a crucial role in both our physical and emotional well-being. Healthful eating patterns offer mental health benefits that are especially valuable as daylight wanes in the colder months. A growing body of research suggests a strong connection between gut and brain health, so our food choices have the potential to enhance mental well-being. High-fiber foods and fermented products like kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha foster a healthy gut microbiome, and it's important to choose low-sugar options.

Several dietary plans, including the Mediterranean, DASH, plant-based, and anti-inflammatory diets, offer solid foundations for both physical and mental health. In general, nutrient-dense foods from various groups are essential, but specific nutrients like iron, magnesium, B vitamins (especially folate and B12), and choline support mental health. Antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, green tea, and omega-3s found in fatty fish like salmon, anchovies, and tuna can bolster mental health, and plant-based omega-3 sources include walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and hemp seeds.

Chrissy Barth, MS, RDN, RYT, Integrative and Functional Dietitian, Assistant Teaching Professor in the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University

Incorporating nutrient-dense foods is essential for this time of year. A few of my recommendations include omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish like wild salmon, mackerel, and anchovies, as well as ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts, all of which support brain health and may enhance mood.

Vitamin D, found in fortified dairy products, egg yolks, and sun-bathed mushrooms, is also important for mood regulation. Consider taking a vitamin D3 supplement and getting your vitamin D levels checked annually with a blood test for a personalized plan. Antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies like leafy greens, berries, and citrus support mental well-being by reducing oxidative stress.

As the days shorten, I suggest adjusting your diet to support energy and mood. Include vitamin D-rich foods to compensate for reduced sunlight, and aim to eat three balanced meals daily with protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats for sustained energy. Stay hydrated with water and limit refined sugars to avoid energy crashes.