By — Carla K. Johnson, Associated Press Carla K. Johnson, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/shorter-days-and-dark-afternoons-can-trigger-depression-heres-how-to-fight-back Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Shorter days and dark afternoons can trigger depression. Here's how to fight back Health Nov 4, 2026 5:57 PM EST As winter approaches and daylight hours grow shorter, people prone to seasonal depression can feel it in their bodies and brains. The millions of people estimated to have seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, typically have episodes of depression that begin in the fall and ease in the spring or summer. One trigger for SAD is when clocks revert to standard time, which happened Sunday across much of the U.S., bringing darker afternoons. A milder form, subsyndromal SAD, is recognized by medical experts, and there's also a summer variety of seasonal depression, though less is known about it. Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check…
Shorter days and dark afternoons can trigger depression. Here's how to fight back
In short
The condition manifests through depressive symptoms like pessimism, persistent hopelessness, and decision-making difficulties that lift by spring or summer. University of Pittsburgh findings show that sufferers possess reduced sensitivity to the blue light spectrum that drives brain alertness. In response, clinicians recommend 30-minute morning sessions with 10,000-lux light boxes alongside lifestyle changes and outdoor walks. Antidepressant medications and cognitive behavioral therapy also serve as primary interventions, offering longer-lasting relief than light exposure alone.
Key points
- Light therapy provides immediate relief, but cognitive behavioral therapy delivers more d…: Light therapy provides immediate relief, but cognitive behavioral therapy delivers more durable benefits that persist after treatment halts.
- Millions of individuals suffer from seasonal affective disorder each year, and the condit…: Millions of individuals suffer from seasonal affective disorder each year, and the condition affects significantly more women than men.
- Patients should combine first-line medical treatments with outdoor walks, consistent slee…: Patients should combine first-line medical treatments with outdoor walks, consistent sleep routines, and scheduled enjoyable activities.