The intersectionally inclusive approach to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
7-minute read time
We all have mental health and physical health.
Recent stats show there have been 7.1 million working days lost due to 875,000 people suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety alone.
When our mental health isn’t good it impacts communication, collaboration and growth. The creativity and innovation we need for thriving businesses and solving important challenges can seem impossible.
Yet research has also shown that Return On Investment (ROI) for mental health interventions, in the workplace, is £5 for every £1 spent.
So isn’t it time we take the mental health of our colleagues seriously?
As the nights begin to draw in, mornings take longer to brighten up and the sun makes more infrequent appearances, the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) start to appear on top of existing stress and mental health conditions.
What is SAD, how does it affect our work and how can we reduce its hold on us over the autumn and winter seasons? We explore that below.
A green and yellow mowed field with dark green hedge running to the right and through the middle. Light and dark fluffy clouds fill the sky.
What is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?
Sometimes known as winter depression, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), can present in a variety of ways. You may notice your energy levels get considerably lower with the change in seasons, your mood is lower or you feel more irritable and less sociable to name a few common presentations. The NHS website has a full overview and list of symptoms.
These symptoms can also overlap with other conditions or even be the result of neurodivergent burnout or appear heightened at different times of your cycle, if you’re someone who menstruates.
Or it could be a combination of multiple things. If you’ve noticed a pattern of feeling these symptoms more during autumn and winter and then see an improvement in spring and summer you may have SAD. Do see your GP to talk about it.
Why do we get SAD?
It is thought that the reduced sunlight prevents the hypothalamus from doing its job properly and this impacts the production of melatonin, serotonin and our internal body clocks (circadian rhythm).
Internal Body clock (circadian rhythm)
Knowing when to wake, use up energy and sleep are functions supported by our internal body clock. Sunlight helps our brains to follow the sleep / wake cycle and it’s only natural that when there’s less sunlight, historically less food to go around and less daylight to hunt in, our body may go into energy-saving mode. This can feel very unhelpful when working a modern job, often leaving the house for work, and returning, during darkness.
Melatonin production
People with SAD are thought to produce higher levels of melatonin - the hormone that makes you feel sleepy. Production is triggered by darkness and the absence of light. So shorter days can impact how alert we feel. When serotonin production is also affected, it’s no wonder our mood can be affected, which can have a knock-on effect on our motivation to exercise, socialise and eat, drink and sleep well. All things that help keep us feeling mentally well.
Serotonin production
Sunlight affects serotonin production - a hormone that helps us regulate our sleep, appetite and mood amongst other things, such as digestion.
Serotonin is made in the body during sleep. So if you feel greater SAD symptoms some years this could be due to sleep deprivation from things like workplace stress, an existing medical condition and / or being a new parent.
If you are neurodivergent, particularly Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) it’s likely you will have sleep disruption and therefore lower levels of serotonin produced so may feel the effects of SAD even more.
How does SAD affect our work?
Anticipation
As the seasons begin to change, we feel the sunlight less and the cold and rain more, we can start to anticipate what can feel like a very long, cold and dark winter ahead of us. In this circumstance, the phrase self-fulfilling prophecy is very true.
Due to how our brains are wired for threat perception, to keep us safe, if we focus on the negative aspects of the months ahead, our brains are 15% more likely to pick up on things we see as a threat. E.g…
Darkness
Cold
Low mood
Feeling unconfortable emotions
Resistance
If we anticipate them, our brains will focus on them more which, in this case, is likely to increase the symptoms of SAD.
If you suffer from anxiety, it’s possible this may also increase thoughts which contribute to anxiety, especially if you’ve previously really struggled with symptoms of SAD.
That’s not to say ignoring the change in seasons or toxic positivity will help us here! For example, many people are dealing with the stress of not being able to heat their homes this winter, or going without food if they do, which is a very real threat.
Mood / Lack of socialising
A person with black hair sits at a desk in front of a big window with a laptop and two screens in front of them. They are wearing a red plaid shirt, glasses and orange headphones.
SAD can also present as a persistent low mood that is hard to shake. Which can really affect how you can communicate, collaborate and socialise with your colleagues.
If you have neurodivergent burnout and / or depression co-occurring you may need to limit your socialising to recover (or out of necessity) as well as finding some forms of workplace communication extra draining.
Reduced energy
With the drop in energy, which can feel like a switch being turned off, as soon as the daylight disappears (around 4pm for the whole of December), it can be harder to be as productive as you can be at other times of the year.
On top of that, you can then feel shame and have negative thoughts about yourself for your reduced output. These thoughts can then increase the low mood you’re experiencing.
Reduced Executive Function
If you’re neurodivergent you may already experience heightened levels of executive dysfunction. SAD can further impact your ability to concentrate, remember things and stay focused.
How to reduce the impact of SAD on our mental health
If you’re struggling with the symptoms of SAD, your GP should be able to help you.
If you’re reading this and you’re neurodivergent, and / or have existing mental health conditions, please note the following suggestions are not a to-do list. You don’t have to do all of them, you certainly don’t have to do them perfectly, even just picking one and testing if it helps over a few weeks can make a difference.
Some ideas known to be beneficial:
Talking
Four masculine presenting people sitting and chatting on the edge of a valley with greenery around them.
Talking therapy can be helpful but don’t underestimate the power of just speaking aloud how you feel. In a journal, to yourself or to a trusted friend. It’s ok to admit that you’re feeling low and it doesn't mean you’ll feel this way until spring. It can be hard to say it out loud, especially if you’ve been socialised male and / or grew up in a culture that doesn’t talk about emotions. But you’d be amazed at how many people are feeling the same as you.
Nominate yourself a buddy
Choose someone you can talk to, judgement free when you just need to be heard or want some accountability to try some solutions to ease your symptoms. Knowing there’s someone, who understands the change in seasons is affecting you, can really help to make you feel less alone and hopefully more able to get into a more neutral headspace.
SAD lamp
The SAD lamp alarm clocks are a good option to try if you struggle with waking up on dark mornings. The natural light gently builds to help make getting out of bed easier when your alarm goes off.
Working to regulate sleep cycles
Boring but effective.
Going to sleep and waking at similar times each day really will help your body clock and hormone production which in turn helps regulate things like mood, concentration and appetite.
Exposure to sunlight
A person with brown hair walks down a path full of red, orange and brown autumn leaves on the grass and above in the trees.
If you can, try and get at least 20 minutes of daylight exposure a day (early morning helps your body clock). Sitting near a window when you’re working at home or in the office will also help to maximise sunlight exposure.
Exercise
Also boring but effective.
Any form of regular exercise will help boost endorphins and improve mood.
Try walking as a free and easy activity to fit into your day - early mornings are great to also get the sunlight exposure that most helps your body clock. But lunchtime walks can be just as great, especially if you can walk and talk with a colleague.
Eating well
Soo boring! We’ve heard it all before.
It can be harder to make healthy choices, to fuel our brain and body and help keep our hormones balanced, as it is. Throw in the SAD symptom of increased cravings for carbohydrates and a festive season filled with sweet treats across many cultures (Sukkot, Diwali and Christmas to name a few) it’s all too easy to reach for a quick sugar boost. If you can plan some balanced meals for your week, and make sure you’re getting plenty of protein for each meal, you’ll be really helping your brain with its hormone production and regulation.
Finding joy in your week
Train your brain away from enhanced threat perception by taking time to notice glimmers in your day or noting down what elements of the change in seasons you’re looking forward to. Follow Indigo Inclusion on LinkedIn for our Friday Glimmers posts to help you get in the habit.
Take some time to plan some fun activities to look forward to in the coming weeks and prioritise time weekly for a hobby.
How to make a workplace more inclusive for mental health
As with all inclusion work, starting with a strategy to improve psychological safety, advocacy and conscious inclusion is important.
Education is a key pillar for progress and speaking about mental health, educating everyone and taking the stigma away from poor mental health is a great place to start. We need to ensure this is done through an intersectional lens to account for the diversity of experiences your colleagues will have.
Once we understand what’s happening in the brain and how our environment and experiences can help or hinder us, we have a good idea of how different people may need adjustments, support or just understanding within the workplace.
It’s important to adjust policies and procedures in line with new learnings and to train staff to behave in line with your changes.
And of course, monitor, measure, evaluate and edit actions, as needed, to see where progress can be accelerated.
If you’d like to make your workplace more inclusive to benefit all intersectionally marginalised employees and their mental health, get in touch for a no-obligation, discovery call.