How the Seasons Affect Your Mental Health (and What to Do About It)

Do you feel more tired in winter? More anxious in spring? Or maybe more energized in summer? If so, you’re not alone. Our emotional and mental wellbeing often mirrors the rhythms of nature.

Changes in light, temperature, and activity levels can have a profound effect on how we feel. While everyone responds differently, there are common patterns that show up seasonally for many people.

Winter: Turning Inward

With long nights and low light, winter can bring on feelings of fatigue, sadness, or isolation. For some, this time of year may trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)—a type of depression linked to reduced sunlight.

Supportive Practices:

  • Use a daylight lamp in the morning to simulate sunrise
  • Prioritize warmth, rest, and reflection
  • Take gentle walks outside—even on overcast days
  • Journal, read, or engage in quiet creativity

Spring: Waking Up

Spring can bring a rush of energy, but also anxiety. As the world reawakens, it may stir grief, overwhelm, or pressure to “get going.”

Supportive Practices:

  • Practice grounding rituals like breathwork or yoga
  • Allow space for both excitement and unease
  • Create soft structure in your days—ease in

Summer: Expanding Outward

Longer days and warmer weather often boost serotonin and encourage socializing. But for some, summer can trigger body image issues or sensory overload.

Supportive Practices:

  • Tune into your capacity and energy levels
  • Balance activity with rest in nature
  • Let yourself say no to events that feel draining

Fall: Letting Go

Autumn can bring feelings of melancholy, nostalgia, or fear of change. But it also invites reflection and clarity.

Supportive Practices:

  • Lean into routine and rhythm
  • Reflect on what’s no longer serving you
  • Connect with the outdoors through hiking or mindful walks

You Are Cyclical, Too

At Wild Mountain Counselling, we honour the way your mental health changes with the seasons. You don’t have to push against the rhythms—you can move with them. Therapy can help you recognize your own seasonal patterns and build emotional tools that match your natural flow.

You are not broken for feeling differently throughout the year. You are simply human.

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