Feeling SAD? Here's how to beat the winter blues

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A cross-country skier is met by a dog during their journey in fresh snow at Capital Hills at Albany during the region's first significant snowstorm on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)

The shortest day of the year is around the corner, and for some parts of the U.S. that means settling in for the long, cold and dark winter.

Here’s how experts — particularly those in Nordic countries that go months with little to no daylight —  say you can beat the winter blues and prevent seasonal affective disorder, better known as SAD. 

Get good sleep

What they're saying:

The dark winter affects people’s circadian rhythms, Dr. Timo Partonen, a research professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, told The Associated Press. When our circadian rhythm is off, it can impact the quality of sleep.

People tend to sleep longer in the winter, but they don’t wake up refreshed, leading to fatigue throughout the day. 

Partonen recommended trying a dawn simulator, sometimes known as a sunrise alarm clock, to gradually light up your bedroom and ease you awake.

Be social and exercise

Being tired and cold can lead to people wanting to stay home, and that means fewer social interactions. People should make the extra effort to maintain social relationships to avoid isolation and exacerbate the winter blues. 

By the numbers:

Consider inviting a friend to work out with you to prevent the winter weight that people tend to gain. People gain an average of 4-11 pounds in the winter, fed by cravings for carbohydrates, especially in the evenings.

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Light therapy

Using a light therapy lamp — ones that emit light about 20 times brighter than regular indoor light —  can be helpful in the winter, even if you don’t get SAD.

The light therapy helps to kickstart your circadian rhythm and increases serotonin in your brain. 

Research supports using a light that’s about 10,000 lux, a measure of brightness, for 30 minutes every morning. Your insurance company might even cover at least part of the cost.

Look on the bright side

What you can do:

Prioritizing a positive outlook by embracing winter is crucial to combating winter sadness.

Nordic countries are especially good at taking advantage of all that winter has to offer.

Take advantage of both outdoor and indoor hobbies, she said. Inside, channel hygge — the Danish obsession with getting cozy — and snuggle up on the couch with blankets and a movie.

But don’t hibernate all winter. Even during cloudy days, a quick walk in the fresh air will help. And if you’re brave enough, do a cold plunge like many people in the Nordics.