Mental Health & Preparing for Darker Months

October 2025

written by Mafe Boucher.

As the days grow shorter and colder, many of us notice shifts in our mood, energy, and motivation. For some, these changes are mild and manageable but for others, it’s heavier.

In this post, we’ll explore the seasonal lows that many people experience — what might be Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), why seasonal changes impact our mood, and gentle strategies and mindsets to help you navigate the darker months with more care and compassion.

Seasonal Lows vs. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

As fall settles in, you might have started to notice that it’s harder to get up in the morning. The sun rises later, the air feels chillier, and the bed just feels so comfy. In a rainy place like Vancouver, you can feel the energy change – the streets feel quieter, plans slow down, and there’s a collective dip in energy. But the moment the sun breaks through, it’s like the city wakes up again. 

Having grown up in northern Alberta, I was used to sunlight in the winter, even with lots of snow and freezing weather. Sometimes I miss that brightness during Vancouver’s long stretches of rain. It’s comforting to talk with others who share this experience of the literal and emotional darkness of the fall and winter. But it’s also important to note: while many experience seasonal lows, others maybe struggling with something more. 

Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, SAD shares many of the same symptoms as depression. Experiences like low mood, fatigue, or loss of interest in things you usually enjoy. The key difference is when it shows up. Rather than lasting year-round, SAD follows a seasonal pattern which is most often in the fall or winter and eases up as the days get long. In fact, its onset is linked to changes in daylight hours, and the symptoms often peak in January and February. These patterns can show up in different ways for each person, but some common signs of winter-pattern SAD include:

Common Signs in Winter

• oversleeping or difficulty waking
• overeating, often with cravings for carbs
• social withdrawal or loss of interest in usual activities
• decreased energy and motivation
• feelings of guilt or low mood. 

Early Interventions

The good news is that SAD is both common and treatable. Early support can make a big difference and may include: 

• Light therapy
• Counselling or talk therapy
• Vitamin D supplementation
• Antidepressant medication (if recommended by a healthcare professional)

Seasonal lows happen for many people, and staying aware of your patterns can help you know when to seek extra support or a formal diagnosis if needed.

For more information, see the National Institute of Mental Health on SAD

Why the Seasons Can Affect How You Feel

So it’s pretty common to notice feeling more tired, less motivated, a bit less social, or just in a lower mood — but why does this happen? The answer is both simple and fascinating: sunlight, or the lack of it. Shorter days mean less light, which can shift our brain chemistry and internal rhythms in ways that affect mood, sleep, and energy:

Our internal clock, known as our circadian rhythm, helps regulate when we feel awake and when we feel sleepy. When daylight decreases, this rhythm is disrupted. For example, if the sun sets at 5pm, your brain may start signaling that it’s time for bed but your usual sleep time is 10pm. That leaves your body to struggling to stay alert for several hours. On the flip side, if you usually wake up at 6am but the sun doesn’t rise till 8am, so you may wake up still tired. Everyone experiences this differently, but changes in daylight can definitely affect our energy. 

This shift in light exposure also influences important brain chemicals like serotonin and melatonin:

Serotonin plays a key role in regulating mood, sleep, and feelings of happiness. When sunlight decreases, serotonin levels can drop, which may contribute to feeling low or less motivated. 

Melatonin is the hormone that signals your body to sleep. Shorter days can trigger higher melatonin production, making you feel sleepier or more fatigued through the day. 

However, you’re not alone and you’re not trapped into feeling this way. There are ways to support your mood, energy, and overall wellbeing as the darker seasons approach. 

Strategies to Prepare for Darker Months

1. Maximize Light Exposure
   • Spend time outdoors or near windows.
   • Open your blinds or curtains when you wake up, even cloudy days allow a bit more light into your space. 
   • Try light therapy lamps if mornings feel especially tough.
2. Move Your Body
   • Gym days or home workouts are great and gentle stretching, yoga, or a quick walks also count!
   • Focus on movement and supportive rhythms, not perfection.
   • Move in ways that feel good to your body and match your energy and capacity. 
3. Prioritize Sleep & Routine
   • Create a cozy wind-down routine. E.g., brushing teeth, washing faces, 5-minute stretch sess, dim the lights, read, etc. 
   • Try to maintain your sleep and wake routines. 
   • Sleep is part of your emotional and physical regulation, make sure to take care of it. 
4. Stay Socially Connected
   • Social time can be recharging by creating time to vent and allowing space for laughter – the dose of social time totally depends on you. 
   • Schedule small check-ins, maybe little coffee dates, calls, or walks
   • It may also be worthwhile to find group activities or communities you enjoy. 
5. Plan for Self-Care
   • Offer yourself some flexibility. Your needs will shift and evolve as the season changes. 
   • Revisit your needs and boundaries – what is your capacity? what are things you need to say ‘no’ to? what are thing you need to say ‘yes’ to?
   • Find ways to build comfort into your days: favorite hot drinks, sweaters, blankets, journaling, music, etc. 
6. If Needed, Professionals Can Help

• • Seeking and asking for support is not a weakness, it’s an act of self-love. 
  • Support isn’t only for when you feel in crisis, it can be a space for you to vent, to create tools, and to feel heard.
  •  Counselling can help rediscover tools that helped in the past and create new ones to navigate your mood, stress, capacity, and motivation. 

Invite Self-Compassion for the Darker Months

During the times where we’re feeling low, it’s easy for our inner critic to come in a little too strongly and lower our sense of self-worth. So it’s important for us to find time and space to give ourself the grace and kindness we need and here are a couple ways you can do that:

1. Normalize Slowing Down
   
   • The days are naturally getting shorter and slower, and you’re adjusting to seasonal changes – that’s okay!
   • Allow yourself to move at a gentler pace. 
2. Focus on Planning, not Perfection
   • Bring in energy to find and build a supportive rhythm for you.
   • Celebrate your wins (big or small) and your effort
3. Adjust Your Definition of Productivity
   • Be your own cheerleader! Recognizing your efforts and any progress you make in accomplishing your goals.
   • Productivity isn’t only based on output – it’s also about maintaining your energy, mood, and overall wellbeing. 
4. Emotional Check-Ins
   • Notice your patterns and tune into your experience without judgement. For example, if you usually have a morning workout but haven’t done it in the last week, that’s okay. Maybe you need an adjustment – maybe you need just a short morning stretch for the time being. 
   • Give yourself grace and talk to yourself like a friend.

As the seasons change, so do we. It’s completely natural to notice our energy or mood shifting this time of year – our minds and bodies feel the rhythm of the seasons more than we realize. This can be a time to slow down, light a candle, cozy up, and care for yourself a little more gently. And if things start to feel heavy, please remember you don’t have to move through it alone, support and connection are here when you need them.