As the days get shorter, you start feeling heavier. Your energy drops. You crave carbs and want to sleep all the time. You lose interest in activities you usually enjoy. You feel sad, irritable, or empty for no clear reason. By the time winter arrives, you are just trying to survive until spring.
People tell you to get more sunlight or exercise, but it does not help. You wonder if this is just how fall and winter feel, or if something else is happening.
If you have been searching seasonal affective disorder, fall depression, or therapy for seasonal depression Colorado, you are recognizing something important. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is real, it is not just “winter blues,” and it is treatable.
At Better Lives, Building Tribes, we help people in Colorado manage seasonal mood changes and build tools to navigate the darker months. This article explores what SAD is, why it happens, and how to find relief.
What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern. It typically begins in fall or early winter and improves in spring and summer. Some people experience a less common summer pattern, but most struggle with the darker months.
SAD is not just feeling a little down. It is a clinical depression that significantly affects your daily life.
Symptoms Of SAD Include:
- Persistent low mood or sadness.
- Loss of interest in activities you usually enjoy.
- Fatigue and low energy, even after sleeping.
- Sleeping more than usual (hypersomnia).
- Craving carbohydrates and weight gain.
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions.
- Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness.
- Social withdrawal or isolating yourself.
If these symptoms show up every fall or winter and improve in spring, you might have SAD.
Why Shorter Days Affect Your Mood
SAD is not just about feeling sad because it is cold or dark outside. It is a biological response to changes in light exposure:
Reduced Sunlight Affects Serotonin
Sunlight helps regulate serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood. Less sunlight in fall and winter means lower serotonin levels, which can trigger depression.
Disrupted Circadian Rhythm
Shorter days disrupt your internal clock (circadian rhythm). This affects sleep, energy, and mood regulation.
Increased Melatonin Production
Your body produces more melatonin when it is dark, which makes you feel sleepy and sluggish. In winter, increased melatonin can contribute to low energy and oversleeping.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Sunlight helps your body produce vitamin D, which is linked to mood regulation. Less sunlight means lower vitamin D levels, which can worsen depression.
Why Colorado Residents Are Especially Affected
While Colorado gets more sunshine than many places, several factors still make SAD common here:
High Altitude
The high altitude in parts of Colorado can affect mood and energy levels independently of seasonal changes. Combined with shorter winter days, this can worsen SAD.
Harsh Winter Weather
Cold temperatures and snow can make it harder to get outside, even on sunny days. This reduces light exposure and increases isolation.
Lifestyle Changes
People who move to Colorado for outdoor activities might find winter especially hard if they cannot engage in their usual routines.
How To Tell If It Is SAD Or Something Else
Not all winter sadness is SAD. Here is how to tell the difference:
SAD Is Seasonal
If your symptoms only show up in fall and winter and improve in spring and summer, it is likely SAD. If you feel depressed year round, it might be major depression.
SAD Includes Specific Symptoms
Oversleeping, carb cravings, and weight gain are more common in SAD than in other types of depression.
SAD Is Predictable
If you have experienced this pattern for at least two consecutive years, it is likely SAD.
How To Manage SAD Without Medication
Medication can be helpful for SAD, but there are also non medication strategies that work:
Light Therapy
Light therapy involves sitting near a special light box that mimics natural sunlight for 20 to 30 minutes each morning. This can help regulate your circadian rhythm and improve mood. Light therapy is one of the most effective treatments for SAD.
Get Outside During Daylight
Even on cold or cloudy days, natural light helps. Try to spend time outside in the morning or midday, even if it is just a short walk.
Exercise
Physical activity boosts mood and energy. Even gentle movement like walking or stretching can help.
Vitamin D Supplementation
Talk to your doctor about taking vitamin D supplements during the winter months. This can help if your levels are low.
Maintain A Routine
Keep a consistent sleep schedule and daily routine. This helps regulate your circadian rhythm.
Stay Connected
Isolation worsens depression. Make an effort to stay connected to friends and family, even when you do not feel like it.
When Medication Might Be Necessary
If lifestyle changes and light therapy are not enough, medication can help. Antidepressants, particularly SSRIs, are effective for SAD. Some people take them only during fall and winter. Others need them year round.
Talk to your doctor or psychiatrist if:
- Your symptoms are severe or interfere with daily functioning.
- You have tried other interventions without significant improvement.
- You have thoughts of self harm or suicide.
Medication is not a failure. It is a tool that can make the dark months more manageable.
How Therapy Helps With Seasonal Depression
Therapy addresses both the symptoms and the underlying patterns that make SAD worse. At Better Lives, Building Tribes, therapy for SAD might include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT for SAD helps you identify and challenge negative thought patterns that worsen depression. It also helps you build coping strategies specific to seasonal changes.
Behavioral Activation
We help you identify activities that bring you energy or joy and build them into your routine, even when motivation is low.
Building A Winter Wellness Plan
We help you create a personalized plan for managing symptoms, including light therapy, exercise, social connection, and self care.
Processing Underlying Issues
Sometimes, SAD triggers or worsens existing mental health struggles. We help you work through those layers.
Addressing Loneliness And Isolation
Winter can be isolating, especially in Colorado where weather makes socializing harder. We help you stay connected even when it is difficult.
We offer virtual therapy for adults across Colorado, so you can access support from home during the months when getting out feels hardest.
How To Prepare For Fall And Winter
If you know SAD is coming, you can prepare:
- Start light therapy early: Begin using a light box in September or October, before symptoms start.
- Schedule social activities: Put things on the calendar now so you have structure during the darker months.
- Talk to your doctor: If you take medication for SAD, discuss starting it before symptoms become severe.
- Plan for self care: Identify what helps you feel better and commit to doing those things regularly.
- Start therapy: Do not wait until you are in crisis. Starting therapy in fall can help you build tools before winter hits.
What Healing From SAD Looks Like
You might not eliminate SAD entirely, but you can reduce its impact significantly. Healing looks like:
- Recognizing the pattern early and intervening before it gets severe.
- Having tools to manage symptoms when they arise.
- Maintaining connection and engagement even when motivation is low.
- Getting through winter without feeling like you are just surviving.
How Better Lives, Building Tribes Supports Seasonal Depression
At Better Lives, Building Tribes, we understand that seasonal depression is real and difficult. We help you build tools to navigate the darker months with more ease.
Our approach is:
- Practical and proactive: We help you create a plan for managing symptoms before they become overwhelming.
- Compassionate: We do not minimize your struggle or tell you to just get more sunlight.
- Evidence based: We use approaches like CBT and behavioral activation that are proven to help SAD.
- Holistic: We look at your whole life, not just your mood in winter.
Next Steps: Managing SAD In Colorado
If seasonal depression is affecting your quality of life, you do not have to just endure it. Therapy can help you build tools to manage symptoms and feel better.
To start therapy for seasonal depression with Better Lives, Building Tribes:
- Visit betterlivesbuildingtribes.com/ to learn more about our services.
- Schedule a session with Dr. Meaghan Rice or another therapist on our team through the booking link on our site.
- Reach out via our contact form to ask questions or find out if we are a good fit for what you are experiencing.
Winter does not have to mean depression. With support, you can navigate the darker months with more ease and resilience. We would be honored to help.
