For some people, the colder months bring more than just a drop in temperature – they also affect mood and anxiety levels.
“While seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is classified as a type of major depression, increased feelings of worry sometimes accompany seasonal changes,” says Durban counselling psychologist Rakhi Beekrum.
Winter and the body’s stress response
Winter-pattern SAD is caused when shorter days and reduced sunlight disrupt your body’s internal clock, upsetting the balance of the hormones melatonin (which regulates sleep) and serotonin (which regulates mood). This can lead to feeling miserable, with low-grade depression, irritability, lethargy and difficulty concentrating.
Why anxiety can increase in winter
For people already prone to anxiety, winter can intensify symptoms further. According to MAC Clinical Research, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is a mental health condition characterised by intense levels of stress or worry, inhibiting your ability to go about daily life. The overlap of SAD and GAD can create a perfect storm in winter, where symptoms of fatigue, low mood and restlessness worsen anxiety.
Even without a diagnosed disorder, seasonal changes can heighten worry. A 2022 study found that a lack of vitamin D – which becomes more common in winter because the body synthesises vitamin D from sunlight – is associated with increased symptoms of both anxiety and depression.
Diagnosing the problem
SAD and GAD are different to the mood changes most people experience in daily life. To be diagnosed with winter-pattern SAD, symptoms need to last at least two weeks, with recurring seasonal depression cycles in autumn/winter. It must be present for more than two consecutive years, and resolve completely during spring/summer.
For a GAD diagnosis, excessive, uncontrollable worry about multiple events or activities must be experienced on most days for at least 6 months.
Sufferers of SAD are typically advised to spend as long as possible outdoors in sunlight, or to take a walk at lunchtime, says Dr Colinda Linde, a clinical psychologist and cognitive behavioural therapist based in Johannesburg. If this does not bring relief, light therapy (phototherapy) is the most common first-line treatment. It entails sitting beside a light therapy box or wearing a specialised light visor for 20–60 minutes each morning. Supplementation with vitamin D (the ‘sunshine vitamin’) may be recommended.
For GAD and severe SAD, cognitive behavioural therapy will generally be advised, and possibly medication such as antidepressants.
How to reduce anxiety in winter
Small lifestyle changes can help:
• Get regular physical activity to reduce stress hormones and release feel-good endorphins.
• Cut back on stimulants like caffeine, which can trigger or worsen jitteriness and other physical symptoms of anxiety.
• Avoid alcohol, which may feel relaxing in the moment, but is a depressant that increases anxiety and disrupts sleep cycles.
• Take a vitamin D supplement or consider light therapy.
• Cut back on social media, which encourages social comparison and doomscrolling. Research in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking found limiting use to just 30 minutes a day, or taking a one-week break, significantly lowered anxiety and depression.
• Prioritise sleep. Establish a relaxing bedtime routine to ensure your mind is rested, as exhaustion worsens anxiety.
• Practise mindfulness and relaxation. Deep breathing, visualisation or yoga can help regulate your nervous system when you feel on edge.
• Don’t isolate – interact regularly with trusted friends and family or join a support group for anxiety through SADAG.
Finding help
If you suffer from depression or anxiety that persists for two weeks or longer and is interfering with your daily life, always speak to your healthcare provider, who can refer you to a psychologist for assessment. SADAG also runs free 24-hour helplines at 0800 567 567, Sadag.org.
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