SAD (seasonal affective discorder) is a type of depression tied to seasonal light changes, most commonly in fall and winter.
Less daylight disrupts your circadian rhythm, melatonin production, and serotonin levels. Translation: your internal clock gets confused, your sleep gets weird, and your mood drops.
Common signs include:
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Low energy and constant fatigue
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Difficulty focusing
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Feeling flat, numb, or unmotivated
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Wanting to hibernate but still being stressed about it
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Craving carbs and comfort everything
The kicker is that SAD often shows up quietly. You are still functioning, still working, still showing up. You just feel like you are doing life with the emotional equivalent of a low phone battery.
Things That Actually Help (No Toxic Positivity)
Talk About It : have human interactions. Isolating, holding it in will only let dark emotions and thoughts grow. If you are in a remote area and cannot work for a few hours with other people or animals, try a therapist.
Go Outside: Yes, even when it's cold, a brisk walk is going to wake up your body. Exercise is an essential to mindset and more gentle exercises like yoga and pilates are going to be effective.
Connect Friend Dates: In Denmark, one of the happiest countries in the world in spite of having roughly 170 rainy days and 180 sunny days, part of the hygge culture is to arrange group dinners to stay connected. Museums are a good place to go on a friend date as it still provides weather coverage and art unlocks positive feelings in the body. They often have taper candles burning all day and in the loo to create that warmth and energy.
Light Therapy : Get a light box, A proper light box used in the morning can be a game changer. It helps reset your circadian rhythm and improve energy and mood. This is one of the most evidence‑backed tools for SAD.
Burn The Good Candles: while candles can't replace a light box, they do offer is ritualized light and scent, two things your brain is actively missing in winter. This is exactly why you have candles.
Scent bypasses logic and goes straight to the limbic system, the part of the brain tied to memory and emotion. A familiar or comforting fragrance can pull you out of rumination and back into your body.
Earthy notes feel stabilizing. Woods, resins, soft spice, gentle smoke like our No. 25 Brooklyn Palo Santo & Frankincense. Clean musks and subtle citrus can add lift without screaming at you including our No. 69 bergamot, ambergris & oud) and my personal goto No. 16 Fira (bergamot, cypress and juniper berries.) The goal is not hyper‑stimulation. It is regulation
Night Rituals: Light a candle. Make tea. Read something physical. Your brain needs cues that it is allowed to rest. This is cuddles on the couch season for a reason. Between advertising, online doom strolling and walking in cities, the average human sees over 5000 images daily which can lead to a lot of mental fatigue.
So remember, don't isolate, engage on a human level and give your brain a chance to reset.
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