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Winter depression

Winter depression is a form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a mood disorder where symptoms occur repetitively at a particular time of year. Some of the symptoms are similar to those associated with depressive disorder, but in winter depression – also known as winter-onset SAD – certain atypical symptoms of depression are also prominent, including

  • excessive sleepiness (sleeping more at night than in the summer, but not feeling refreshed)
  • increased appetite and sugar cravings
  • weight gain
  • intensified symptoms in the afternoon.

Symptoms typically start in October and ease in February or March, disappearing for the summer. It’s also possible to have SAD symptoms in the spring or summer, but this is rarer.

Winter depression affects about 1–2% of the population. It’s also possible to experience seasonal symptoms in the winter without having diagnosable depression. This is referred to as having the winter blues, which affects about 25% of the population. The symptoms in winter blues are milder than those in winter depression.

Self-care for winter depression

You can try to alleviate your symptoms yourself. If you have winter depression, try these:

  • Use a wake-up light in the morning before you wake up. Similarly to an alarm clock, you set the light to turn on in the morning, typically some 30 minutes before you wake up, and it’ll then gradually brighten to simulate sunrise.
  • Exercise regularly, 2 to 3 times a week for 45 to 60 minutes each time.
  • Eat regular meals: try to have breakfast as soon as you can after waking up and to have lunch at the same time every day.
  • Avoid isolating yourself, and stay involved with your social circle.

These are also worth remembering

The following will also help make winter easier:

  • spending time outdoors, exercising, and relaxing, even during the dark winter months.
  • ensuring adequate sleep at night and maintaining a regular daily and weekly routine.
  • ensuring a sufficient vitamin D intake.
  • spending time outdoors during daylight hours; many people benefit from light therapy.
  • being aware of the fact that tiredness makes you more prone to exaggerating your problems, including the darkness.

When should you seek treatment?

If you experience SAD symptoms repetitively at the same time each year and they are starting to influence your ability to cope with your studies and daily life, contact the FSHS’s assessment of the need for treatment team. A member of the team will assess your need for treatment, and if needed, refer you to the right professional.

Treatment for winter depression

The primary treatment for winter depression is light therapy. You can do this at home with a light therapy lamp. In some cases, medication and psychosocial therapy may also be needed.

Light therapy lamps, also called light boxes, provide intense light, a minimum of 2,500 lux. The light from a light therapy lamp resembles sunlight but doesn’t contain any UV radiation. Not all lamps providing bright light qualify as light therapy lamps, which always contain a CE mark and a four-number code identifying them as medical devices.

When using a light therapy lamp, remember:

  • The recommended time of day for using a light therapy lamp is in the morning: this helps with daytime tiredness and problems falling asleep. Using the lamp in the evening is not recommended.
  • The suitable light therapy dose is 30 to 60 minutes daily, depending on the intensity of the light. Start with 10 minutes, and then gradually increase the dose.
  • Don’t sit too far from the lamp. Check your lamp’s instructions for use for the correct distance. Depending on the intensity of the light, the recommended distance varies between 85 and 200 cm.
  • Don’t look directly at the light. The light should enter your eyes indirectly. Try something like studying from a book while using the lamp.
  • There may be possible side effects associated with using a light therapy lamp, but these usually aren’t serious. At the start of treatment, you may experience mild headaches, eye irritation and nausea. These symptoms are often mild and disappear when you reduce the time spent receiving light therapy. Light therapy may trigger migraines in those prone to migraines. If you have a disease of the retina or lens of the eye or a systemic disease that may damage the retina, it is recommend that you start light therapy only after an examination by an eye doctor.