Seasonal Affective Disorder at Work: 3 Easy Ways to Talk About It

2 days ago

4 min read

Every year, the clocks change, the mornings get dark, the afternoons disappear, and something shifts in our teams. People get quieter. Energy dips. Patience wears thin.

Could it be the weather?

For some people, this is the winter blues: a manageable dip in mood and motivation.

For others, it is seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a recognized form of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, typically returning each fall or winter and easing in spring.

Workplaces that talk about it openly give people permission to notice what is happening and to get support early.

The challenge is how to talk about it. A generic wellness email will not land on a plant floor, and a mandatory webinar will not land with a team already drowning in video calls. Here are three practical, low-pressure ways to start the conversation.

A dark office with all the lights on and the glow of computer screens

Seasonal Affective Disorder at Work: 3 Creative Ways to Start the Conversation

1. Set up "light corners"

Purchase a few light therapy lamps and set up some recharging spaces throughout your workplace. Include a comfortable chair and a table with instructions for how to use the light therapy lamp.

Bonus: include small cards explaining what SAD is and what the signs look like. Those signs include low mood most days, loss of interest in things that are usually enjoyable, oversleeping, changes in appetite, trouble concentrating, and withdrawing from others.

Make sure the card points to where people can find support, such as an employee assistance program or a family doctor. This works well in break rooms, where people often arrive and leave in the dark.

Bonus: Talk about the benefits of light therapy during the darker months and the reality of the Winter Blues/SAD in team meetings or safety talks.

2. Protect a meeting-free daylight block

Block out a company-wide window around noon in the calendar for the winter months. This is a bold move that signals to all employees that the topic matters. Without protected time, good intentions about getting outside can get swallowed by back-to-back meetings.

This calendar block does not need to be programmed. People can walk, eat lunch near a window, or simply step outside for some light. The point is that the organization has made room for it, which tells people that looking after their wellbeing in the dark months is expected, not indulgent.

Bonus: Add in daylight "check ins" like "did you get outside today?"

3. Open meetings with an individual "weather report"

Alison's note: I personally love this one. It's easy and can be implemented in ANY workplace. Start team meetings with a one-word "internal weather" round. Ask people how they would describe their mood today, ex: sunny, cloudy, foggy, stormy etc. It's quick and normalizes naming how people feel. Over time, patterns become visible, and so do opportunities to check in with someone whose weather has been stormy for a while.

Leaders can set the tone by going first and being honest. A leader who says "foggy this week, winter is heavy for me" makes it easier for everyone else to be honest too.

Bonus: train your managers and leaders to have conversations with their team about mental health and wellness.

Frequently asked questions

What is seasonal affective disorder, and is it more common in northern climates?

Seasonal affective disorder is a recurrent form of depression, diagnosed as major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern, that typically starts in fall or winter and eases in spring. It was first described in the research literature in 1984 [1]. Research across North America has found that rates tend to rise with latitude, with higher prevalence in northern regions than in southern ones [2].

How can employers support employees with seasonal affective disorder?

Start with awareness and access. Normalize the conversation, make information visible, protect time for daylight, and point people to your employee assistance program or a family doctor. The three ideas in this post are low-cost places to begin. Managers should listen, avoid diagnosing, and encourage anyone with persistent symptoms to see a healthcare professional.

Does light therapy work for seasonal affective disorder?

For many people, yes. In the Canadian CAN-SAD randomized controlled trial, bright light therapy was found to be an effective treatment for winter SAD, with results comparable to the antidepressant fluoxetine [3]. The most commonly studied approach is about 30 minutes of bright light, often 10,000 lux, in the morning. Light therapy is not right for everyone, so speak with a doctor or mental health professional before starting, especially if you have an eye condition or a history of bipolar disorder.

References

Rosenthal NE, Sack DA, Gillin JC, et al. Seasonal affective disorder: a description of the syndrome and preliminary findings with light therapy. Archives of General Psychiatry. 1984;41(1):72-80.
Rosen LN, Targum SD, Terman M, et al. Prevalence of seasonal affective disorder at four latitudes. Psychiatry Research. 1990;31(2):131-144.
Lam RW, Levitt AJ, Levitan RD, et al. The Can-SAD study: a randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of light therapy and fluoxetine in patients with winter seasonal affective disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2006;163(5):805-812.

Final thoughts

Winter is going to arrive whether we are ready or not. When we talk about seasonal affective disorder openly and respectfully, we help people recognize what they are experiencing and reach out sooner. We also build the kind of culture where "How are you really doing?" is a regular question.

Pick one of these ideas and try it this month, then add the next. Small, consistent moments matter more than a big campaign.

If you or someone on your team is struggling with persistent low mood, encourage them to speak with a doctor or mental health professional. If someone is in crisis, they should contact local emergency services or a crisis line right away.

Learn more about SAD from this Canadian Psychological Association Fact Sheet.