When the Light Changes: Navigating Seasonal Affective Disorder with Mind-Body Awareness
Here in the Pacific Northwest, the change of seasons is more than a weather shift — it’s a full-body experience. Light fades earlier, mornings grow heavier, and energy begins to move differently through the day. For many, this transition brings a quiet heaviness, a slowing that can feel like fatigue or sadness.
Across the U.S., about 5% of adults experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — a clinically recognized form of recurrent depression that follows the calendar’s rhythm. It appears most often during winter months, when daylight decreases and the body’s circadian rhythm and neurotransmitter balance are disrupted.
Symptoms often mirror major depressive disorder:
Persistent low mood and fatigue
Oversleeping or restless, non-restorative sleep
Increased appetite, often for carbohydrates
Difficulty concentrating or completing tasks
Withdrawal from social connections or previously enjoyed activities
But SAD is not only a northern phenomenon. I work with clients in both Washington and Florida, and the pattern shows up in both. The triggers may differ — long stretches of gray rain in Washington versus post-hurricane gloom or disrupted sleep cycles in Florida — but the mind-body response is remarkably similar.
At Abeille Mind & Wellness, I use the HIVE Model — Heal · Integrate · Vitalize · Empower — to help clients understand these rhythms, honor them, and work with their biology rather than against it. This model offers a roadmap through the darker months — rooted in evidence-based psychology, lifestyle medicine, and compassion.
SAD Across Regions: Why It Matters Everywhere
Geography changes the expression, not the existence, of SAD.
Northern States (e.g., Washington): Shorter daylight hours, cloud cover, and colder temperatures increase risk. Preventive light therapy and Vitamin D supplementation are often key.
Southern States (e.g., Florida): Fewer daylight fluctuations but more storm seasons, humidity, and heat stress can disrupt circadian rhythm. Some experience summer-pattern SAD, where excessive light and heat suppress sleep quality and serotonin stability.
Rain and Overcast Periods: Even short-term lack of sunlight (3–5 consecutive dark days) can impact circadian entrainment and mood, especially in individuals with high sensitivity to light cues.
SAD is not about latitude — it’s about rhythm disruption.
When our exposure to light, movement, and connection changes, our mood often follows.
The Biopsychosocial Impact of SAD
Without treatment, SAD can extend beyond low mood.
It affects executive function, decision-making, and emotional regulation. It can strain relationships and increase vulnerability to anxiety disorders and substance use.
That’s why early recognition and intervention matter. Combining psychotherapy, light therapy, movement, and nutrition can reduce symptoms by 50–70% in many cases. Psychotherapy provides tools to challenge avoidance and isolation — the two behaviors that most often prolong depressive episodes.
Early intervention isn’t just about feeling better faster — it’s about protecting long-term brain health.
Heal: Restoring Light and Circadian Balance
Light is medicine.
Sunlight regulates serotonin, melatonin, and cortisol — the trio of neurochemicals that govern mood, sleep, and alertness. When daylight shortens, those hormones lose their rhythm, and so do we.
Clinical studies consistently link reduced sunlight exposure to imbalances in serotonin and melatonin, which affect mood stability and energy. In northern states like Alaska, Vermont, and Washington, this shift is especially pronounced. But even in southern regions, prolonged rain, indoor confinement, or disrupted sleep cycles can trigger SAD-like symptoms.
Therapeutic steps to Heal:
Light Therapy: Exposure to a 10,000-lux light box for 20–30 minutes in the early morning is considered a first-line intervention. Research shows it can regulate circadian rhythm, improve alertness, and elevate mood within two weeks.
Natural Light Routine: Step outside within 30 minutes of waking. Even on cloudy days, natural daylight is powerful enough to reset your body’s clock.
Sleep-Wake Consistency: Maintain the same bedtime and wake time daily — even on weekends — to anchor your biological rhythm.
Environmental Tweaks: Keep blinds open during the day, sit near windows, and use soft, warm lighting in the evening to mimic natural transitions.
Healing begins when the body’s relationship with light is restored. Light isn’t just something we see; it’s something our nervous system feels.
Integrate: Sleep, Nutrition, and Internal Rhythm
Winter invites rest — but not always restorative rest.
Many clients tell me they sleep more but feel less refreshed. Oversleeping (hypersomnia) and inconsistent circadian cues can amplify fatigue and dull motivation. Integration means rebuilding internal harmony — aligning sleep, nutrition, and stress rhythms so the body feels safe again.
Sleep Rituals That Support Mental Health
Wind-Down Routine: Gentle stretching, breathwork, or journaling cues the parasympathetic nervous system to prepare for rest.
Reduce Blue Light: Screens delay melatonin release. Use blue-light filters or limit screens one hour before bed.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I): Learn to retrain your brain to associate your bed with rest rather than rumination.
Temperature & Environment: A cool, dark room supports deeper sleep cycles. Weighted blankets or white noise can help calm the nervous system.
Nutrition for Seasonal Wellness
Food is information. Every meal communicates with your brain through the gut-brain axis, influencing inflammation, neurotransmitter production, and energy balance.
In the darker months, prioritize nutrients that stabilize mood:
Protein + Healthy Fats: Salmon, eggs, chia seeds, lentils, and avocado provide amino acids and omega-3s essential for serotonin synthesis.
Vitamin D: Supplement as needed (especially in northern regions) after consulting with a provider.
Magnesium: Supports sleep, relaxation, and stress regulation (spinach, pumpkin seeds, almonds).
Complex Carbohydrates: Sweet potatoes, oats, and legumes release glucose slowly, supporting stable energy and mood.
Integration means tuning the body’s rhythms back into harmony with nature — nourishing it with warmth, stability, and consistency.
Vitalize: Movement as Mood Medicine
Depression naturally slows the body. It tells us to conserve energy, to pull inward. Movement gently reawakens vitality — not through intensity, but through rhythm and connection.
Research confirms: Exercise is a potent antidepressant. It increases dopamine and serotonin, reduces inflammation, and promotes brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) — a protein essential for neuroplasticity and learning.
Simple ways to Vitalize:
Combine light and movement: Morning walks, walking therapy, or outdoor yoga deliver a double benefit — sunlight plus serotonin activation.
Set a minimum, not a maximum: “I’ll move for five minutes” lowers resistance and builds momentum.
Match movement to mood:
Low-energy day → slow yoga, stretching, or mindful walks
Medium-energy day → strength training, hiking, dance
High-energy day → full workouts, running, or outdoor recreation
Incorporate Micro-Movement: Stand during calls, stretch between sessions, or take short walks to reset your nervous system.
Movement is emotional regulation in motion. It’s how the body shakes off stillness, metabolizes stress, and creates mental spaciousness.
Empower: Cognitive Flexibility and Seasonal Reframing
Our thoughts about the season profoundly shape how we experience it.
Cognitive reframing — a cornerstone of both CBT and DBT — helps us shift from self-criticism to self-compassion, from helplessness to agency.
Common Thinking Traps:
“I always get depressed in winter.”
“I should be fine; it’s not that bad here.”
“I can’t stay motivated without sunshine.”
These statements, while understandable, reinforce powerlessness. Empowerment begins by changing the narrative:
“My energy shifts seasonally, and I can shift with it.”
“I’m learning what my body needs this time of year.”
“I can still create light and warmth in small, intentional ways.”
Empowerment Practices:
Mindfulness Awareness: Notice your mood and body sensations with curiosity, not judgment.
Behavioral Activation: Choose one small daily action that supports vitality (open blinds, take a walk, text a friend).
Seasonal Journaling: Track what restores versus depletes your energy; use this data to plan your next season mindfully.
Empowerment doesn’t mean denying struggle — it means understanding your power to respond differently to it.
Your Seasonal Wellness Plan: The HIVE in Action
Heal – Prioritize light therapy and consistent circadian routines.
Integrate – Nourish with whole foods, restore quality sleep, and create grounding rituals.
Vitalize – Engage in daily movement and natural light exposure.
Empower – Reframe winter as a time for rhythm, not retreat.
Try this reflection:
What does my body crave more of this season — light, rest, movement, warmth, or connection?
What one small habit can I commit to this week that aligns with that need?
Final Thoughts
Seasonal Affective Disorder reminds us of our deep connection to nature’s rhythm. We are not machines — we are organisms, constantly adjusting to cycles of light and darkness, growth and rest. Healing doesn’t mean resisting winter; it means moving with it thoughtfully, using every resource available — light, food, movement, and connection — to maintain our internal balance.
At Abeille Mind & Wellness, our goal is not just symptom relief, but seasonal resilience — helping you find coherence between biology, behavior, and environment. Whether you live under the misty skies of Washington or the tropical rains of Florida, your emotional rhythm matters.
You don’t have to wait for spring to feel lighter. We can do this together.
Missy Lichau, LMHC | Founder, Abeille Mind & Wellness
Integrative therapist blending psychotherapy, nutrition, and lifestyle medicine.
Helping clients Heal · Integrate · Vitalize · Empower through mind-body connection.
Learn more: abeillemw.com | @abeillemindandwellness