5 Tips for Seasonal Depression (SAD)

Do you find yourself feeling blue during the colder, darker months? I know how hard that can be.

Seasonal depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is a type of depression that occurs during specific seasons of the year, most commonly in the fall and winter months, and is often triggered by reduced sunlight exposure, leading to symptoms like fatigue, low mood, increased appetite, and changes in sleep patterns. 

What you are experiencing is common, but that doesn’t mean you have to just sit there and allow it. Why not be proactive instead?

Staying mentally well is at the very top of my priority list. As someone who used to have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and as a mindset coach, it’s essential that I keep my brain health in tip top shape. It’s quite literally my job to stay positive and show up as my best self for my clients, so that I can help them work through their own challenges with clarity.

Last year, seasonal depression hit me hard. I’m now in a much better place, however I am not taking any chances. Here are 5 tips for getting ahead of seasonal depression before it has you in a chokehold.

1. Romanticize your life

Romanticizing my life in small but meaningful ways is something I started being intentional about when I quit drinking, as a way to give myself little dopamine boosts and reward myself for doing something that was initially hard. These gestures of self-love became habitual, and now they’re just how I live.

You do not need a romantic partner to live a life full of romance!! You just need to figure out some ways to show some appreciation to yourself. Here are some of my personal favorites:

• Buy yourself flowers. (Trader Joe’s has the best value for this)

• Use a fun, festive mug for your coffee or tea (HomeGoods sells them for every season, $5)

• Put flavored whipped cream on your coffee at home (Target sells some really fun ones!)

• Wear lipstick that makes you feel fabulous (I love Ruby Woo from MAC Cosmetics - its the perfect classic shade of red)

• Dress in clothing that makes you feel confident. There is nothing more depressing than living in sweatpants 24 hours a day throughout the winter. Put on a cute outfit and tell me you don’t feel at least 20% better!

• Play music that puts you in a great mood. Listening to music is one of the healthiest ways to instantly change the way you feel. Make a feel-good playlist for 2025!

• Mail handwritten cards or postcards to the people you love, just to say hi or tell them you’re thinking of them
  
  

2. Prioritize movement (as consistently as possible!)

The number one reason I work out so much (4-6x a week) is for the mental health benefits. Yes, it feels great to live in my strongest and leanest body, but what exercise does for my mood and mindset is so much more important to me. The thing about exercise is that you have to be consistent for an ongoing period of time to enjoy the benefits. Give the gym as many chances as you gave that man, sis! ;)

• Thinking about trying antidepressants? Consider this: “Physical activity is 1.5 times more effective at reducing mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression, psychological stress, and anxiety than medication or cognitive behavior therapy, according to the study’s lead author, Dr. Ben Singh.” (source)

• This article explains that exercise is beneficial for treating depression, anxiety, reducing stress, reducing symptoms of ADHD, reducing symptoms of PTSD and trauma

• Exercise increases self-esteem (Weight lifting and F45 workouts in particular do this for me)

• Exercise can help provide sharper memory and thinking, better sleep, more energy, stronger mental and emotional resilience (source)

• Walking is a great way to move (and burn calories) without a ton of effort. (Aim for 10K steps/day)

• If possible, exercise at the same time each day. Over time a habit is formed and you’ll do it on autopilot. This is the way! Motivation is seriously unreliable; habits will keep you on track.

• F45 is my favorite form of exercise. I swear these are the best workouts on earth, and they have them practically everywhere. I also love Pilates, barre, and cardio kickboxing.
  
  
  

3. Prioritize social connections

I learned recently that the two biggest factors in determining happiness are 1. job satisfaction and 2. quality of friendships. Isn’t that interesting? (Notice it is NOT who we are dating/married to, how many Gucci bags we have, how rich we are or how much we weigh.) Here are some ideas on how to nurture your relationships during the dark season.

• As tempting as it may be to stay inside, don’t be a hermit. Get out of the house as much as possible. Sometimes even a “mental health walk” around Target is enough to totally shift my mood. It helps to just be around other people in public.

• My group fitness classes give me a sense of community, without actually talking to anyone most days. There is something to be said for being in a group of people, working towards the common goal of health and strength.

• Phone calls count! Pick up the phone and call a friend or family member. It’s not the same as being together in person, but it’s much more personal and energetic than texting.

• Spend time with people who give you energy. Have you noticed that you feel energized after spending time with certain people, and drained after time with others? Be aware of this. It’s your intuition telling you which relationships to lean into.

• I took advantage of the cold boring season to book a week long trip to stay with a friend who I don’t see often. Sometimes it’s better to do nothing / rot with a friend than to do nothing alone.

4. Make home your favorite place to be

Blame it on my ADHD, but I cannot be productive or even relax when my home is a mess. On the other hand, when my living space is organized, clean and thoughtfully decorated, I feel calm and ready to tackle the world ..from the comfort of my couch. This is especially important if you work from home!

• A clean home is a healthy home. Regularly cleaning and decluttering prevents the spread of germs and bacteria.

• Have you heard the term ‘Visual Noise?’ This refers to clutter or anything visible that could be a distraction. Put stuff away that you don’t use all the time in a closet, cabinet or drawer. Out of sight, out of mind.

• Make your bed first thing each day. It takes 2 minutes and sets the tone for productivity afterwards. I think it’s also a self-respect thing. It feels good to honor myself, my home, and the place I lay my head each night to rest by having it look tidy and pretty.

• Display photos that spark joy. When I was going through a rough patch last year, I had the idea to put photos of my close family and friends on my refrigerator. They served as a welcome reminder of all the people who love me and have my back, and also reminded me that there are more good times ahead.
  
  
  

5. Adopt a gratitude practice

Adding a gratitude practice to your routine doesn’t take much time, but it can make a world of difference for your mindset. Here are 2 options for you to try.

• 3 Good Things - I got this idea from a book called The Happiness Advantage. Each day, write down 3 positive things that happened the day before. They don’t have to be big or meaningful; something as simple as “delicious Thai takeout for dinner” or “phone call with my bestie Jessica” will suffice. Our brains evolved to scan for and focus on negatives in our environment as a survival mechanism. However, when we make a habit of scanning our memory from the day before for 3 good things that happened, we can reprogram our minds to naturally start noticing more of the good. I’ve been doing this one for a long time and it works!

• Morning Pages - write what’s going well. Another option is to journal first thing in the morning a page or two on everything that’s going well in your life. This forces your mind to stop thinking about anything negative for a few minutes and focus your whole mind on the positives. You’ll be tempted to write something negative, but force yourself to let it go in that moment and get back to writing down more positive things. Even if they are tiny!

What not to do…

I’ll keep this brief because I don’t want to come off as preachy, but I’ve done this both ways.

As tempting as it may be, avoid turning to alcohol, weed, endless snacking, nicotine, or [insert your vice here] to zone out, numb out, and “cope” with your seasonal depression.

All you will do is make yourself a lot more miserable, and when you’re miserable, time moves very slowly. The best way to fly through winter is to stay healthy, busy, social, active and remember that like everything else, it will pass.

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Rooting for you always,
Gretchen