There came a time
when she felt sad
so cold, so bad
When days were dark
so long, so stark
Then came a time
When she felt glad
So warm, unclad
When days were bright
So fun, so light
Was she even the same person?
Have you ever heard of “Seasonal Affective Disorder” aka (appropriately) S.A.D.? This is a condition that affects millions every year; more women than men.
Most people with SAD live in northern climates where there are shorter days in the winter months. Their symptoms begin to lessen in the spring when the amount of sunlight increases each day.
Read more HERE.
Treatments such as light therapy and taking Vitamin D may be helpful, along with daily physical activity.
Do you get the “winter blues” or think you might have S.A.D.?
How do you deal with it?
Updated Jan. 24, 2020 and Jan. 9, 2023
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Dog Mom and (retired) Canine Innkeeper in suburban Toronto, Canada, known as The Doglady. Former corporate workaholic. Writer, photographer, digital creator. Animal lover, music fanatic, inveterate traveller. Eternal hippie/rockchick. History, literature and cinema buff. Hockey and soccer fan. Dedicated night owl. German/Canadian binational, multilingual. Let me entertain you!
71 thoughts on “ARE YOU S.A.D.?”
I’ve definitely heard of it. It’s very prevalent in Alaska. I think we all sometimes feel like hibernating in the winter during those long winter nights. That’s why I always turn up the lights. Keep it bright, and when the sun is out, get out in it, but for many, it goes much deeper. Great poem!
Hi Yolanda, sorry for the late response. I’ve been hibernating a lot this winter. 😛 Living in Alaska must be difficult, and I don’t think I could do it, as my cold tolerance is very low (Raynaud’s Syndrome). Sunshine is a healing elixir, but when the temps are below zero, it doesn’t help that much, at least for me. Glad you enjoyed the poem! 🙂 Thanks for coming by.
January has always been a doldrum month, IMO. Even though we don’t have long winters as you do, I get tired of the grey and dreary days. We have freezing nights and almost spring springlike days. I don’t get the “winter blues” but I need my sunshine.
Springlike days would be lovely! That said, our January was milder than usual – just extremely grey, gloomy and damp. 😛 Thanks for dropping in, Eugenia. 🙂
Hi Debbie – I’ve always got a lot of retirement activity work going on – so get bamboozled by that … but I must say once tea time comes along (ie 4 – 4.30pm!!) I tend to sink further into a chair! But getting brighter now … cheers – so here’s to climbing away from SAD time … take care – Hilary
Hi Hilary, keeping busy is a great way to stave off the winter blues. 🙂 At least the daylight hours are getting longer now. Thanks for coming by!
Sad for the moment because we are in a topsy turvy weather pattern, where it is in the 70s one day, and a couple of nights later, below freezing. Right now it is cold… Canada cold…
I am looking forward, as I always do, for Punxstawney Phil to make the scene and set things in order. Groundhog Day is my favourite holiday, Did you know that, Debbie? When you combine that with Valentine’s Day, February is a pretty popular month…
But this ain’t February. This is January, home of sadness. However, all is not lost. Tomorrow is “Dress Up Your Pet Day.” You could have some serious fun with that. Come the 16th, a couple days later, you could dress up your dogs, big time, for “Appreciate a Dinosaur Day.” As for me, I am looking to game the system on January 27, for “Chocolate Cake Day.” Surely I can get someone to make a chocolate cake for me.
Myke, your fun comment made me smile and I truly appreciate that! 😀 Darn, I missed the doggie dressup occasions, but January 27th happens to be my birthday and I had some cake with chocolate in it. Hope you got some too! Thanks for coming by.
Hi Debbie, welcome back! I hope your winter break has been peaceful.
Thankfully, our winters here in southern Arizona aren’t usually too much different than the rest of the year 😉 I dearly love a drenching rain but any more than a couple of days in a row makes me anxious 😉
Hi diedre, I can imagine Arizona is pretty sunny. 🙂 Thanks for the welcome back! I’m struggling to keep it going, though.
I have a mild case of SAD and I’m okay with that. I do need my sunshine. Some folks have it horribly.
Have a fabulous day and week, Debbie. Big hug. ♥
Hi Sandee, I’m sorry you have this too, but at least you get more sun in California. Well, usually – I heard it’s been raining a lot this year. Thanks for coming by! ♥
I have dealt with this in the past, but am better since I retired. I just got this article in my email and thought it would interest you.
https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/michigan-winters-are-super-cloudy-and-getting-worse-heres-how-deal?utm_source=Bridge+Michigan&utm_campaign=14fa741fd6-Bridge+Newsletter+01%2F10%2F2023&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c64a28dd5a-14fa741fd6-73849393
Thanks for sharing the article, Denise! Ontario and Michigan have similar gloomy winters. I already take extra vitamin D and will look into getting a therapy light. Worth a try! 🙂
I’ve gotten the winter blues and it’s not great at all. Therefore I’m grateful for these moments when I am feeling good and all perked up. I appreciate these good times, as much as though low moments that brought me here.
Glad you shared this post dear Debbie. 🙂
Low moments make the high ones even more enjoyable. 🙂 The cold is bad enough, but the lack of sunshine makes it all so gloomy! 😛 Thanks for coming by, Natasha!
Oh yes indeed I am s.a.d. as well as sad. I don’t have to tell you how gloomy it is to look outside and see darkness 24/7. S.A.D. effects me badly. I thrive in sunshine. And for that reason I’ll be heading out from Dodge in two weeks! 🙂
Winter truly sucks, doesn’t it? 😛 How wonderful that you can escape for a while. Enjoy! 🍹
I used to live far north in northern Sweden and did my army service north of the arctic circle where the sun would not rise for weeks and it was very dark. I never had issues with seasonal depression but many people did. However, people who came from abroad and stayed long typically had issues. They just couldn’t stand the darkness, the quiet and the cold and they felt depressed.
I can’t imagine living in the dark for weeks at a time and my tolerance for cold is pretty low as well! 😮 You are fortunate it didn’t affect you, Thomas. Thanks for sharing your experiences. 🙂
Thank you Debbie. Yes living where it is cold and dark isn’t for everybody.
I can recommend the use of a S.A.D. lamp. I have been using one for three winters now, and they really help me when it is dark by 3:30-4pm. They are reasonably priced from Amazon, (around £22) and are about the same size as an i-pad.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks for the recommendation, Pete! I might just try that. The grey days are so frequent now. 😛
I can relate to that low S.A.D. mood that we get at this time of year. I have to work hard to push myself out of it with daily walks and trying to stay positive. I find it especially bad in January after all the fuss of Christmas has passed. It’s a bit of a relief when I can notice the days start to lengthen again with a bit more light. I can sure see the difference in the light when I examine my photos from the year. This time of year is so dull and dim. I’ve never tried the light therapy. Have you, Debbie? Does it work?
Hi Cathy, we seem to have similar seasonal reactions. I haven’t tried light therapy either, but increase my vitamin D intake. As the saying goes: This too shall pass. Thanks for coming by and Happy New Year! 🙂
Cathy, see my comment above yours. The SAD lamp works well for me.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks for your comment about the lamps working well for you, Peter. Much appreciated. I’ve always been curious about them.
Hi, Debbie! Yes, I have heard of seasonal affective disorder. It’s not a problem for me, but having a string of gloomy, cloudy days is oppressive. I’m happier when the sun is out.
Love,
Janie
Hi Janie, I think sunlight cures a lot of gloomy moods! 🙂 Thanks for coming by and Happy New Year!
I did not know about this Debbie!
You are fortunate to live in a warm climate, Damyanti. 🙂 Our winters can be cold, grey and depressing, sometimes going many days without sunshine. Thankfully, I love everything else about living here. The pluses far outweigh that one minus. Thanks for reading this post. Have a good week!
It’s often not diagnosed. I wrote about it on my blog a few years back. The lack of Vitamin D causes so many problems.
It does lend itself to self-diagnoses, I think. When you feel the same way at the same time every year…I take Vitamin D, which does help, but it’s the constant grey weather that wears a person down. They say people in northern countries tend to be grumpier. That must be why! LOL Thanks for coming by, Corinne. 🙂
I experience this only when it’s gray and rainy for days on end. I toy with the idea of moving to Seattle but all of the stories I hear about the rainy days make it a big no thank you from me.
Interesting you mentioned Seattle. Someone else talked about having to move away from there because of the gloomy weather. I can’t imagine dealing with that. We get enough rain here! 😛
Debbie,
Yes, I’ve heard of this disorder but didn’t know what it was called before now. I wouldn’t say that I suffer from it compared to others but sometimes those gray stark days of winter coupled with life’s circumstances further makes me even bluer. I think more than anything when this happened to me I was dealing with some unbalanced hormone issues. These days I don’t seem to have that much trouble with the lack of sunny days. I hope you’re able to take advantage of those sunny winter days when you have them. It sure does lift the mood, doesn’t it? You know I wonder if people with S.A.D. are also more prone to osteoarthritis? I don’t know why I’m wondering about this but for some reason it seems connected in my brain this morning. It’s an interesting thought, anyhow.
Thanks for sharing Cinderella “Long Cold Winter”. I’ve heard of the band but know very little about their mewsic. I might listen to more of their tunes on YT in a few. Have a smiletastic day! 😉
Hi Cathy; It’s always a happy day when the sun comes out during the winter! 😀 Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen all that often, around here. Interesting that you mentioned a connection to arthritis, which I also have. Check this out:
https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/emotional-well-being/anxiety-depression/arthritis-and-mental-health
Cinderella was a popular “glam metal” band in the 1980s and has seen a resurgence in popularity, thanks to Classic Rock radio. Glad you enjoyed the tune. 🙂 Thanks for coming by!
Well written Deb. And yes, I think many of us Ontarion Canadians are tired of seeing a sunless sky. Not sure if I have SAD but I can certainly say it’s difficult to be in a bad mood when the sun is shining on me. 🙂
Yes, a sunny day makes all the difference, especially in the dark days of winter. 🙂 Thanks for coming by, Deb!
It’s always a pleasure to read your writing! Big hug. and yes, I think I am affected by S.A.D.
🙂
Thank you, dear friend! ? Good thing you live in a milder, sunnier climate!
An excellent poem, Debbie! I don’t get sad during gloomy weather. I find things to do such as projects, etc. With that said, in my neck of the woods, we don’t have long periods of grey weather.
Thank you, Eugenia! 🙂 We have loooong stretches of gloomy weather in the winter, and that can be a little depressing. Anyway, spring will return, eventually. Something to look forward to! 🙂
A fine poem, dear doglady.
Love,
Janie
Thank you, Janie. 🙂 I appreciate the visit.
I have a mild case of SAD. If it’s gloomy for to long I can feel the effects. I’m not a fan of SAD.
Have a fabulous day and weekend, Debbie. ♥
Gloomy for too long is depressing, no question! At least you live in sunny California, where it’s much better than here. 🙂 Thanks for coming by, Sandee.
I don’t have as many problems with the shorter days in winter as I used to have when I was a mother at home with her children. They would be home by four and I would be depressed getting dinner together. My oldest son had a friend who took a job in Seattle and had to quit and move back to Texas because of SAD and the generally gloomy weather there.
I can imagine it would be even more depressing to live in a rainy climate. We certainly get our share of rain here, and that’s bad enough. At least the daylight is lasting longer now.
HI Debbie, oh yes, every December I get it and through the holiday season. I feel better once January is in swing and it stays lighter til 5:30.
Something about it getting dark out at 4:30 can be depressing. Even the early mornings which I love, I feel better once I see the sun coming up!
Thanks for the tips and links.
It is depressing when it gets dark at 4:30, but somehow, the festivities in December take my mind off it. 🙂 For me, the dreariness of January and February are the worst! 😛 We’ve had a lot of rain this year, which doesn’t help. Oh well, spring will return, eventually. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Lisa! 🙂
Hi Debbie – it’s the gloom I’m not enjoying … but I usually manage – need to be busy and realise that the days are getting longer and lighter once again – yet of course our lives are being ticked off by the day! Take care … it’s just wonderful when the sun shines! Cheers Hilary
It is nice to see the days getting longer again! 🙂 Sun is so rare at this time of year and always a wonderful sight. Thanks for coming by, HIlary.
Debbie,
Beautiful poem and mewsic. I do not have S.A.D. but the long gray days of winter do affect me emotionally sometimes. I don’t particularly care for the shorter days but I try to enjoy it for what it is, though. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, Vitamin D is so important! I take daily supplements. Spending longer periods outdoors in winter is difficult, here, as it’s often too cold and the dismal grey skies do nothing to brighten the mood. Still, we find a way! ? Thanks for coming by, Vidya! ?
Hi Janie; We had the greyest November in 24 years and it really does drag you down. On those few days when the sun comes out, I always feel more upbeat. Thanks for dropping in! Hope all is well with you and the furkids.
We had the greyest November in 24 years, here. 😛 Of course, it doesn’t stop life from happening but makes it a little less enjoyable. Anytime the sun comes out (a rarity these days), I instantly feel more energized! Thanks for coming by. I’m glad you enjoyed the poem and the song. 🙂
I have heard of SAD. I had a friend who dealt with it. During the winter she took an antidepressant. It must be even more difficult in parts of the world that get so little sunlight during a winter’s day.
Love,
Janie
Since I’m in Los Angeles the weather isn’t a huge factor in my mental state. Though last night we had a rainstorm that knocked out our power at 5 PM as it was getting dark. By 8 PM I decided to go to bed which meant by 3:20 AM I was awake and ready for another day. Thankfully the power was back on (it actually came on at 8:55–the lights coming on woke me up long enough to turn them off and crawl back into bed). If the power stayed off for a long time then I would have a real reason to be sad. I’m so dependent on electricity, but I think we all are.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Sunlight is the best cure, but that is often lacking in the winter, here. Cold is still uncomfortable, regardless. Let’s hope for an early spring! Thanks for coming by. ☺️
A lack of vitamin D – a deficiency causes a lot of health issues, Debbie. SAD is tough to go through. Sadly, it mostly goes un-diagnosed. Awareness is so important. I guess that’s why a healthy lifestyle revolves around exercise outdoors as far as possible, a nutritious diet and enough sleep. But it must be difficult for those living in regions where sunshine is a premium.
That song brought back memories!
Yes, I also go through winter blues many times. To treat it, i talk to my favourite person on phone, listen to some good music or watch something good. This is just to divert my mind. But until I am emotionally better, nothing works.
For sure, a lack of ready cash and difficult people are downers, too. My hermit tendencies tend to come out the most when the skies are grey and it’s cold out, though. Plus, having an intolerance for frigid temperatures (Raynaud’s Syndrome) and always feeling cold is truly unpleasant.
Losing electricity for any length of time would be very depressing! 🙁 I guess this is the rainy season in SoCal, but you still have those beautiful sunny days in between. That’s something I miss at this time of year when skies are grey and gloomy.
Unless we’re talking about the actual physical discomfort of being cold, weather doesn’t influence me significantly. Of course, I’m a “sun” person, so anything short of 32°C is chilly for me…that however doesn’t mean that I won’t function or won’t joke around if it’s cold, wet and windy! Two things influence my mood much more than the weather: my wallet (if it’s empty or not! LOL!); people.
I have heard of this but not sure if I get affected but my hubby does! He is ok until the end of January and then I start to see the signs. As for me, HFGPMB or Holy F&^$ God Post Menopausal Bitchiness 🙂
This November had the least amount of sunlight in 24 years, they say. I have to admit, it’s been getting to me, as it does every winter. Sorry about your circumstances, Birgit, but at least you won’t freeze! 😉 Seriously though, when I was having hot flashes, one thing that really helped was Wild Yam capsules. They”re not expensive and readily available at health food stores.
During my brief winter stays in the US I used to really get depressed with the weather . I’m grateful for living in hot as hell Mumbai…..
Your poem sheds all the light a person might need to survive a Winter in Canmore, where even the bears get cold.
I love Poet’s Corner.
I’ve never been to Canmore; might want to visit in the summer. 🙂 When it comes to poetry, you are the master, Myke! I do these “off the cuff” rhymes now and then, as well as some song parodies. That’s pretty much the extent. Thanks for dropping in!