Woman gazing out a window on a snowy winter day with a glowing sun lamp and journal beside her, symbolizing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and introspection.

Let’s Talk About SAD (It’s More Than Just a Bad Day)

Jan 19, 2026 | Depression, Seasonal Wellness, Self-Care, Winter Health

Popular culture has named Monday, January 19, 2026, as Blue Monday. When considering the changes that everyone goes through during these months, it’s no wonder January can be a hard month for some. Factors that cause low mood include:

    • post-holiday blues
    • winter weather and less sunlight
    • holiday debt
    • the fun of the holidays being over
    • changes in routine
Person with head in hands at a kitchen table, surrounded by holiday debt bills, a calculator, and Christmas decorations, with a snowy cityscape outside the window on Blue Monday.

While we can all relate to feeling blue or down, Seasonal Affective Disorder is more than just the Monday blues. People who experience SAD in the winter months describe symptoms commonly seen in depression, with a couple of additional indicators, including: Oversleeping, overeating leading to weight gain and social withdrawal and isolation.

Three-panel image showing signs of seasonal depression: a calendar marked for four months, a woman sitting in bed during winter, and a phone calendar highlighting two weeks of persistent symptoms.

Here are 3 indicators that you might be dealing with more than a case of the Mondays:

    1. Your symptoms of low mood or depression last for 4 or 5 months per year
    2. The symptoms coincide with the winter months 
    3. Your symptoms are persistent and occur daily for 2 weeks or more

What can you do to help?

    1. Sun lamp / grow lamp: These can help you get extra light exposure during the darker winter months
    2. Gratitude journaling
    3. Spending time outside while the sun is up 
    4. Routine: stick to a healthy routine, including diet, exercise, and a bedtime routine. 
Four scenes representing self-care strategies for Seasonal Affective Disorder: a sun lamp on a nightstand, a person walking in a snowy park, a hand writing in a gratitude journal, and a healthy routine setup with food, alarm clock, and a checklist.
Therapist listening attentively to a patient in a cozy, softly lit office setting, with icons below indicating therapy, medication, and light therapy as treatment options.

When is it time to get more support?

SAD symptoms are estimated to impact roughly 700,000 Albertans. If your symptoms are interfering with your work, relationships, or daily functioning, or if you’ve tried self-care strategies without feeling better, it’s time to reach out. Talking to a mental health professional can help you explore treatment options such as therapy, medication, or light therapy tailored to your needs. You don’t have to wait for things to get worse; support is available, and recovery is possible.

Contact us today to learn how we can support your mental well-being.

For more tips on reducing symptoms, check out these articles:

Written by Courtney

Courtney is a Canadian Certified Counsellor who offers a compassionate, person-centred space for teens and adults navigating emotional challenges. With a warm and grounded presence, she helps clients feel seen, supported, and safe to explore their inner world. Drawing on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) principles, Courtney guides clients in building awareness of how thoughts, feelings, and behaviours intersect. Her passion lies in helping individuals manage emotional dysregulation, tap into their resilience, and create meaningful change in their lives.