Seasonal Depression and Faith: Getting Through the Dark Months
By the Claimed by God Designs Team
Every year, the days get shorter and so does your energy. You want to sleep more, see people less and eat every carb in sight. You feel heavy, flat and not like yourself. Then spring comes, and slowly you do too.
If that pattern sounds familiar, you may be dealing with more than the winter blues.
What Seasonal Depression Is
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that follows the seasons, most often starting in fall or winter and lifting in spring. Common signs include:
- Low mood most of the day, nearly every day
- Low energy and oversleeping
- Craving carbohydrates and weight gain
- Losing interest in things you usually enjoy
- Pulling away from people
It's real, it's common, and it's treatable.
God Made the Seasons, and He's in Every One
“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). Seasons are part of God's design, and so is the promise that they change. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
And even in the darkest month, “his compassions fail not. They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22–23).
Practical Ways to Get Through the Dark Months
- Get morning light. Open the blinds, step outside or take a walk early in the day.
- Keep a steady sleep schedule, even when you want to hibernate.
- Move your body a little every day.
- Stay connected. Keep showing up to church, small group or a weekly coffee, even when you don't feel like it.
- Plan something to look forward to in the hardest weeks.
Talk With Your Doctor
Treatments for seasonal depression can include light therapy, counseling and medication. Ask your doctor before starting a light therapy box, especially if you have bipolar disorder, an eye condition or take medications that make you sensitive to light. Your doctor may also check your vitamin D level before you start a supplement.
A Prayer for Dark Days
Lord, the days are short and I feel heavy. Be my light. Give me strength for today and hope for the morning. Amen.
Keep Reading
Claimed in the Chaos
Your mind may be tired. Your faith may feel fragile. But you are still claimed.
A little sunshine for a dark season: the Same God, New Day Brighter Possibilities Box.
If you're struggling right now: you don't have to carry this alone. In the U.S., call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) any time, day or night. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. Outside the U.S., contact your local emergency number.
This article is for encouragement and education, not medical advice. Please talk with your doctor, pharmacist or a licensed counselor about your own situation.
