Shorter days affect the mood of millions of Americans – a nutritional neuroscientist offers tips on how to avoid the winter blues

By: Lina Begdache, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 27, 2025

Words: 925

Last Updated: 4 weeks ago

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The annual pattern of winter depression and melancholy – better known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD – suggests a strong link between your mood and the amount of light you get during the day.

To put it simply: The less light exposure one has, the more one’s mood may decline.

Wintertime blues are common, but about 10 million Americans are affected every year by a longer lasting depression called seasonal …

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