SAD Season? Not on my watch!
Could your winter blues be more than just a dislike of dark mornings?
As autumn arrives and the days become noticeably shorter, many of us notice changes in our energy, sleep and mood. Perhaps you want to crawl into bed at 8pm, you're craving carbs, getting up in the morning feels like an Olympic event, or your motivation has disappeared somewhere between September and November.
For some people, however, the change is more significant.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, usually beginning in autumn or winter and improving in spring. Symptoms can include low mood, loss of interest in things you normally enjoy, increased tiredness and sleep, difficulty concentrating and changes in appetite.
And if this happens to you every year, it can be tempting to think:
"Well, this is just what happens to me in winter."
But there are things you can do to support yourself. From a homeopathic perspective, there may be more to your particular winter pattern than simply "SAD".
Why does winter affect our mood?
Our brains are remarkably responsive to light.
Daylight helps regulate our circadian rhythm, essentially our internal body clock. When the amount of daylight changes, it can influence the timing and activity of systems involving hormones and neurotransmitters, including melatonin and serotonin.
Melatonin is involved in regulating sleep, while serotonin plays an important role in mood. Research into SAD has found evidence for changes in circadian rhythms, melatonin and serotonin, although SAD is complex and there isn't one single mechanism that explains every case.
One theory is that people with winter pattern SAD may have a longer duration of melatonin secretion during the darker months, contributing to increased sleepiness and difficulty adjusting to the shorter days. There is also evidence that serotonin activity changes with season and daylight exposure.
And we're not all equally susceptible.
SAD is more common in people living farther from the equator, and research suggests that genetic and environmental factors both play a role. A history of depression or other mood difficulties may also increase susceptibility.
If you live in a place where the winter nights are long and find yourself particularly affected by the darker months, you're certainly not imagining that the changing light can affect how you feel.
What about vitamin D?
Our bodies make vitamin D when our skin is exposed to UVB radiation from sunlight. But during the UK autumn and winter, the sun isn't strong enough for most people to make sufficient vitamin D through sunlight alone.
There is also growing interest in the relationship between vitamin D and depression.
The 2022 review "Depression and Vitamin D: A Peculiar Relationship" discusses evidence linking lower vitamin D levels with depression and explores possible mechanisms involving neurotransmitters, neurotrophic factors and brain function. Vitamin D receptors are found in several areas of the brain, and appears to have roles in regulating processes relevant to brain health.
An association between low vitamin D and depression doesn't necessarily mean that vitamin D deficiency causes depression, and vitamin D supplementation isn't a standalone treatment for SAD.
Think of it as one piece of the puzzle rather than the whole puzzle.
If you are wanting to take a vitamin D supplement, it’s worth ensuring it has vitamin K2 in it to help aid absorption.
Where does homeopathy come in?
There isn't one SAD remedy. There isn't even one depression remedy.
Homeopathy looks at the individual rather than simply prescribing for the diagnosis.
Two people could both be diagnosed with SAD and have completely different experiences.
One might sleep for ten hours and still feel exhausted.
Another might become irritable and desperate to escape from everyone.
Another may withdraw and keep their feelings completely to themselves.
Someone else may feel profoundly depleted following months of stress or grief.
The diagnosis may be the same, but the person isn’t.
When I take a case, I want to know much more than "Do you feel depressed in winter?"
I ask:
What happens to your energy?
Do you want to sleep more or less?
What happens to your appetite and cravings?
Do you want company or solitude?
Do you want to be comforted or left alone?
Does exercise help?
Does being outside help?
What happens to your thoughts?
Do you become anxious, irritable, apathetic or emotional?
What happens to your sleep?
What happened before this pattern began?
Have you experienced depression or other mental health difficulties previously?
Is there a similar pattern in your family?
Sometimes those details completely change the remedy picture.
Here are a few examples.
Gelsemium: "I just can't get myself going"
Gelsemium can be an interesting picture when the winter months bring heaviness, lethargy, sleepiness and mental fog.
The person may feel physically weak and sluggish. Their mind feels slow and hazy, concentration is difficult and even ordinary tasks can feel like far too much effort.
They may want to curl up under a blanket and be left alone.
This isn't necessarily the dramatic, intensely emotional experience of depression. It's more:
"I know I should get up and do something. I just can't seem to get myself going."
There may be a strong desire to sleep, but sleep doesn't necessarily leave them feeling refreshed.
Sepia: "Everyone needs something from me"
Sepia can be a very different winter picture.
Here the problem isn't simply tiredness. The person feels completely overwhelmed by responsibilities and other people's demands.
They may become irritable, emotionally flat or disconnected. They might love their family and still fantasise about disappearing somewhere on their own for a week where nobody can call on them for anything.
Sound familiar? It’s also a great remedy for peri-menopausal women!
Interestingly, exercise and vigorous physical activity may improve the Sepia picture, even though the person may initially feel like the last thing they want to do is exercise.
So the winter advice of "go for a walk" might actually be particularly relevant to this person, once they've managed to drag themselves out of the door, that is.
Natrum muriaticum: "I'm fine. Really."
Natrum muriaticum can have a much more internalised picture.
This may be the person whose friends and family don't realise how much they're struggling because, from the outside, they seem to be coping perfectly well.
They may withdraw, prefer their own company and find it difficult to talk about their feelings.
There can be considerable sensitivity underneath the surface, with memories, disappointments or grief becoming particularly prominent.
And while they may desperately need support, they may not necessarily want someone fussing over them.
Their instinct can be: "I'll deal with it myself."
Phosphoric acid: "I've got nothing left"
Phosphoric acid is a picture of deep depletion.
Perhaps the person has experienced prolonged stress, grief, overwork, emotional strain or simply too much for too long.
Eventually, something seems to switch off.
They're not necessarily crying all day. They may not even feel particularly emotional.
They're just... done.
There can be apathy, indifference, exhaustion and a lack of interest in things they would normally enjoy.
It's the feeling of having used up your reserves.
Nux vomica: "I'll rest when everything is done."
Then there's the person who responds to winter by doing the exact opposite of slowing down.
They push harder. They work more. They drink more coffee. They may drink more alcohol in the evenings to "switch off".
They're irritable, impatient, oversensitive to noise and interruptions and unable to properly relax.
Their body may be screaming STOP, while their brain is saying:
"Just one more thing..."
Nux vomica can be an interesting picture when stress, overwork, overstimulation and a driven personality all form part of the pattern.
But don't rely on a remedy alone
Homeopathy can be one part of supporting your wellbeing through the darker months, but I don't believe your entire winter wellbeing plan should consist of taking a remedy and hoping for the best.
There are plenty of things you can do to support your body and mind, and honestly, they're often wonderfully simple.
1. Get outside during daylight
Even a grey day is considerably brighter outdoors than it is inside.
Try getting outside in the morning or around lunchtime rather than waiting until the sun has disappeared.
And no, it doesn't have to be a three hour hike, ten or twenty minutes counts.
2. Move your body
Exercise can support mood, sleep and general wellbeing.
Find something you actually enjoy like walking, swimming, yoga, cycling, dancing around your kitchen while cooking dinner or walking the dog.
It doesn't need to involve Lycra or a gym membership, but that’s ok if it does.
3. Create some winter routines
If you know you struggle every winter, don't wait until you're already feeling awful to think about what might help.
Create routines before you need them.
A regular Saturday morning walk.
A Wednesday yoga class.
A standing coffee date.
A dog walking buddy.
A Sunday roast with friends.
Your dog is also an excellent accountability partner because they don't care if it's raining.
4. Have your people
Social connection matters. This doesn't necessarily mean filling your calendar with social events. It might simply mean having one person you can call when you're having a particularly blue day.
Someone who knows that winter is difficult for you or someone you can go for a walk with without having to pretend you're having a fantastic time.
Don't wait until you're struggling to build your support network.
5. Eat like you care about yourself
Winter can make it very tempting to live on toast, biscuits and whatever can be eaten while wrapped in a blanket.
I'm not saying don't eat the biscuits.
I'm saying don't let the biscuits become your primary food group.
Regular meals containing protein, vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and fats can support your general health and energy.
If you're craving carbohydrates when the temperature drops, there's absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying warming, nourishing meals. It’s important to listen to your body, even if once in a while that means a carb overload.
6. Watch the alcohol
And no, I don't mean watch it go down your throat.
Alcohol is a depressant. Although it might initially make you feel relaxed, it can negatively affect mood and interfere with sleep, two things you probably don't need more problems with if winter already affects your mental health.
If you notice your mood dipping, it's worth paying attention to whether alcohol is helping or actually making the following day harder.
7. Think about vitamin D
As mentioned above, you may find a vitamin D and K2 supplement useful.
You can also get some vitamin D from foods including oily fish, eggs, red meat and fortified foods.
8. Don't underestimate light
Because light is so closely involved in our circadian rhythm, making the most of daylight is one of the simplest things you can do.
Open your curtains as soon as you get up, sit near a window and get outside during the day.
If you experience significant winter pattern SAD, light therapy is another evidence based option.
Start before you're struggling
If you know that your mood reliably dips every autumn or winter, you don't have to wait until January to do something about it.
In fact, I'd much rather you started now.
Build your support network.
Get your walking routine going.
Book the yoga class.
Get outside during daylight.
Look at your sleep, food and alcohol intake.
Think about vitamin D.
If you're interested in homeopathy, autumn can be a really useful time to explore your individual pattern before you're right in the middle of it.
One of the things I love about homeopathy is that we're not simply asking:
"What's the remedy for SAD?"
We're asking:
"What's happening to YOU?"
And that is a much more interesting question.
After all, winter might be inevitable, but feeling completely flattened by it doesn't have to be your annual tradition.
Want to explore your own winter pattern and are interested to know how homeopathy can help you? Let’s have a free 15 minute chat!
If you are experiencing persistent or severe depression, or thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please seek appropriate professional support. You can choose to explore complementary approaches alongside that support.
References & further reading
Parel NS et al. (2022). Depression and Vitamin D: A Peculiar Relationship. Cureus, 14(4):e24363.
Rosenthal NE et al. Pathophysiology of seasonal affective disorder: a review.
Levitan RD. The chronobiology and neurobiology of winter seasonal affective disorder.
National Institute of Mental Health. Seasonal Affective Disorder.
NHS. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
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