Why Do We Get the Winter Blues? | Seasonal Affective Disorder?

We get the winter blues because our body feels sad when there’s less light and more cold around us.

Imagine you're a little kid who loves playing outside every day. When it's bright and sunny, you run, jump, and laugh with your friends. But then winter comes, the days are shorter, the sky is gray, and you have to stay inside most of the time. You feel sleepy, grumpy, and not as happy as before. That’s like having Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD for short.

In winter, there's less sunlight. Our brain uses light to tell us when it's time to be awake and happy. When the light goes away, our brain gets confused, it thinks we should sleep more and feel less energetic. That’s why you might feel like a sleepy turtle in winter!

Sometimes people use a special light box that shines bright light, just like the sun. It helps their brains remember it's not winter anymore. You can think of it as having a sunny friend who comes to visit every day and makes you smile again!