Winter Blues

Robin Fuller ’27

With the days getting shorter and the nights getting longer, you may begin to feel an uneasiness creep in. Maybe you feel like there is less time, normal tasks feel unmanageable, and you have much less motivation for reasons you can’t explain. Your body winds down sooner, and you feel increasingly more tired and melancholic.

If this sounds familiar- don’t fret. This is not an uncommon occurrence or a personal failing. Believe it or not, there are a multitude of reasons why darker and shorter days can make you feel more depressed, many of which involve effects to your physical health and your mental health over time.

Firstly, the sunlight does various things for your body’s regulation, one of the most significant being effects to your serotonin regulation. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter and chemical messenger in your brain, often described as a “feel-good” chemical due to its ability to enhance your general mood and emotional stability. With less exposure to sunlight, your serotonin levels drop, leading to a more depressive state of mind. In addition to that, extreme cold temperatures keep people in their homes for the majority of the day, reducing whatever time they get to be in the sunlight.

Shorter days also disrupt your circadian rhythm, an internal clock that regulates your sleep, energy, appetite and much more. When the sun sets earlier and the days get shorter, your internal clock is thrown off balance and creates a mismatch between your daily rhythm and your natural surroundings. This can lead to difficulty waking up and going to sleep, getting irritated easily, or feeling out of sync with your environment. Shorter days are shown to disrupt the psychological and physiological settings that keep you functioning.

Many of these symptoms can also be linked to a broader issue, one that therapists are calling “Sunset Anxiety.”. Many people, especially those who already struggle with anxiety or other mental health issues, may have feelings of unease, restlessness, or worry as the sun sets. For many, it is a reminder of how short time is and can spawn feelings of not having accomplished enough during the day. The sun setting can become an emotional trigger for depressive and anxious feelings.

All of these factors put together can explain how shorter days can have such a powerful effect on your mood. It is difficult feeling out of control of the factors impacting your well being. So what can you do? Changing your bulbs can be a start. Daylight bulbs, full-spectrum bulbs, or sunlight simulators are designed to mimic the qualities of the sunlight. Alternatively, fish, eggs, mushrooms and milk have high levels of Vitamin D, an essential nutrient we receive from the sunlight. Maintaining social connections, having a proper sleep schedule, and generally doing things that bring you joy, will also help you stay grounded during the darker months and combat winter blues.