Shorter days, colder temps, and packed calendars can make the holiday season tough. Many people notice mood dips during the winter months, but not all low mood is the same. Understanding the difference between seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and a case of the holiday blues helps you support yourself and your family members with the right strategies.
What’s the Difference?
Holiday blues
- Timing: Often tied to specific times of the year—November through New Year’s. Triggers include unrealistic expectations, financial strain, grief, travel stress, and complicated dynamics with friends and family.
- Symptoms: Waves of feeling sad, irritability, sleep changes, and stress and anxiety—usually short-lived and situation-based.
- Impact: Uncomfortable, but tends to improve when schedules normalize and stressors pass.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
- Timing: Predictable mood episodes that recur during the winter months when daylight drops. Lasts a few months and changes as soon as the warmer seasons arrive.
- Symptoms: Low energy, increased sleep, carb cravings, loss of interest, difficulty concentrating, and persistent anxiety and depression symptoms.
- Impact: Clinically significant impairment in many different domains of the person’s life (i.e. school, peers, work, at home, etc). SAD is a subtype of depression with a seasonal pattern and may require structured care.
If the low mood is intense, lasts most days for two weeks or more, or interferes with school, work, or relationships, it’s time to seek mental health support.
Why It Happens
- Light loss: Less morning light disrupts circadian rhythms and melatonin, which can drive fatigue and mood changes.
- Pressure and comparison: Social media, gift-giving, and complex family schedules fuel unrealistic expectations—a fast track to the holiday blues.
- Isolation: Weather and travel limits can increase feelings of loneliness, especially for those living away from friends and family.
What Helps—Right Now
For holiday blues:
- Right-size the plan. Cut two non-essential commitments today. Simpler plans reduce stress and anxiety. Don’t unnecessarily overwhelm yourself with things you have time to do and that can be done the following days.
- Connection first. Schedule one small, meaningful touchpoint with a friend or family member (coffee, a walk, a check-in call) that will bring you joy.
- Move + light. Get 20–30 minutes of outdoor light before noon; pair with a brisk walk.
- Reality-check expectations. Replace “perfect” with “good-enough.” Decide what matters most and let the rest be optional.
For suspected SAD:
- Morning light routine. Daily outdoor light or a broad-spectrum light box shortly after waking.
- Sleep anchors. Fixed wake time, dim lights at night, and consistent meals—stability supports mood.
- CBT skills. Track mood/energy, challenge all-or-nothing thoughts, schedule pleasant activities.
- Talk to a professional. Your primary care provider, psychiatrist, or mental health therapist can review options for treatment and care.
How Parents Can Help Teens
- Name it without shame. “Short days can mess with mood. Let’s make a plan.”
- Build a low-friction routine. Morning light exposure, movement, and one anchor activity per day (study block, practice, or a friend check-in).
- Simplify the calendar. Protect downtime between events so teens aren’t running on empty.
- Watch the signals. Persistent withdrawal, sleep reversal, appetite shifts, or slipping grades are cues to get help.
When to Seek Care
- Mood is low most days for 2+ weeks
- Loss of interest in usual activities
- Changes in sleep/appetite or concentration that impair functioning
- Thoughts of hopelessness or self-harm
- Symptoms are impacting several domains significantly
Professional mental health care can reduce suffering and accelerate recovery—especially when SAD is present. If anyone is in immediate danger to themselves or others due to their challenges with mental health, call 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Reach Out Today
You don’t have to navigate this alone. Mindsoother supports families using evidence-informed therapy for anxiety and depression and through the introduction of DBT skills, either individually or through group. Whether you’re experiencing the holiday blues or suspect Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), we’ll help you build a practical plan that fits your life—so that every season feels manageable.