“Don’t go back to bed”: what you can do against winter depression

It starts again: it is more difficult to get out of bed in the morning, even though it is actually already light outside. And in the evening the sports course is often canceled after you make yourself well with a cup of tea on the couch. Is that “normal” autumn fatigue – or is it already the first sign of winter depression?

Ulrich Hegerl, chairman of the German Depression Aid Foundation and professor at the University Hospital in Frankfurt am Main, explains what you can do to combat winter depression in everyday life. (Spoilers: Staying in bed for a long time and sleeping more is rather counterproductive.)

What is winter depression?
Ulrich Hegerl: Winter depression has symptoms of typical depression such as depressed mood, joylessness and guilt. But some signs of the disease have changed. In typical depression, people lose their appetite and lose weight. The opposite is the case with winter depression: people are often hungry. In typical depression, people are tired but not sleepy, meaning they have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. People with winter depression are more likely to lie in bed and sleep for too long. Characteristic of a winter depression is that it only occurs in the autumn and winter months.

Is the term winter depression misleading, since it is not depression in the original sense?
This is discussed. In winter depression you lack drive, listless and sleepy. In a typical depression, the opposite is true: people cannot sleep, are permanently tense as before an exam and are inhibited in their drive, everything happens as if against lead resistance. It is unlikely that it is the same disease.

Are typical depressions more common in the winter months?
There is a slight trend, but they occur with the same frequency throughout the year. Most fall and winter depressions are not winter depressions, but normal depressions that occur at that time of year.

How many people are affected by depression?
About five percent of adults suffer from a depressive illness each year.

So how do you know if you really have depression?
One speaks of depression when at least five symptoms are present during a period of at least two weeks. At least one of these must belong to the two core symptoms, depressed mood and deep-seated joylessness. Other symptoms include anorexia, insomnia, suicidality, hopelessness, and difficulty concentrating. If there are five symptoms, then there is at least a mild depression. Even mild depression is already a serious illness associated with great suffering and reduced life expectancy.

How is that possible?
Even mild depression is taxing on the whole body. Heart rate and stress hormones are elevated and many other things in the body are out of balance. Depression also leads to bed rest, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise and other unhealthy behaviors. All this increases, for example, the risk of a heart attack and also has a negative influence on the course of existing diseases such as diabetes mellitus. The risk of suicide is also significantly increased. In general, people diagnosed with depression live an average of ten years shorter. To avoid this, consistent treatment is so important.

What are the triggers of seasonal depression?
This is not yet understood in detail. However, it is believed that light plays an important role. The body has light sensors that have nothing to do with seeing. There are also theories that the biorhythm is confused. The long bedtimes that some get used to in the winter can also be a contributing factor to depression, joylessness, and listlessness. You know that yourself: after you have slept for 12 hours, you are sometimes quite depressed. On the other hand, if you’ve partied all night, you’re often psyched even the next day.

What can those affected do when they realize they are slipping into winter depression?
I would always advise looking closely at the relationship between bedtime and mood. To observe whether one is more depressed with more sleep. In typical depression, sleep deprivation is actually a treatment. Then people are sometimes faced with big surprises: that in the morning after a sleepless night the breakfast tastes good again, that the hope returns that they can smile again, although that was not possible for six months. These are impressive effects, but usually only temporary. After sleeping the next night, the depression is back.

What is the best way to observe the relationship between bedtime and mood?
My advice would be to create a spreadsheet and write down how many hours you spent in bed each morning for a few months and then rate how you feel in the morning from one to ten. Then you learn about yourself, how bedtime and mood are related. And you may also learn that you are one of those people for whom going to bed longer does not lead to relaxation, but rather to a rather depressed mood and exhaustion. In this case, you can take countermeasures and try not to go to bed earlier and stop staying in bed. Most people need no more than seven or eight hours of bedtime.

How to Prevent Seasonal Depression?
One must resist the urge to withdraw and go to bed. Or even lie down during the day. Even less exercise is not a good idea. One should leave the house in daylight and exercise. You get enough light there. If it gets worse, you should see a doctor.

Do daylight lamps help?
There are studies that such lamps help with winter depression. But these lamps don’t give much more light than a radiant winter’s day. Patients with winter depression should walk outside in daylight in the morning, even if it is only for half an hour. In addition to the light, they also have fresh air and exercise.