As the days grow shorter and the trees shed their leaves, many people experience a quiet internal shift. Autumn’s beauty brings colder mornings, darker commutes, and a noticeable drop in sunlight. For some, this seasonal transition is more than a change in weather — it brings a deep, heavy feeling that is difficult to shake.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of recurrent depression linked to shorter daylight hours, typically emerging in late autumn and persisting into winter. It affects far more people than we tend to realise, including those who otherwise feel emotionally steady at other times of the year. And, like many mental health conditions, it often arrives silently — a slow dimming of energy, joy, and motivation.
This article explores what SAD is, why it occurs, how to recognise its signs, and how herbal medicine and seasonal rituals can support emotional steadiness through the darker months.
Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder
A common condition with deep seasonal roots
SAD is a well-recognised subtype of major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern. Research suggests it affects around 3–6% of people in the UK, with a larger proportion experiencing “sub-syndromal” symptoms — low mood, fatigue, cravings, and reduced motivation during winter (Melrose, 2015).
SAD is not simply “winter blues”; it is a clinical condition with measurable changes in mood, cognition, and circadian biology. And because it emerges gradually as daylight decreases, it often goes unrecognised until symptoms become firmly established.
What SAD can look like
Although presentations vary, common signs include:
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Persistent low mood or emotional heaviness
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Fatigue or low energy throughout the day
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Difficulty concentrating
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Increased sleep or trouble waking
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Cravings for carbohydrates and sugar
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Loss of interest in usual activities
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Feeling socially withdrawn
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Lowered libido
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A sense of being “slowed down”
These symptoms typically recur at the same time each year and ease when daylight increases again.
Why does it happen? The role of light, hormones, and circadian rhythms
SAD is multifactorial, rooted in physiology, environment, and individual sensitivity. Three mechanisms are well established in the scientific literature:
1. Reduced sunlight disrupts serotonin regulation
Shorter days mean reduced retinal light exposure, which affects serotonin pathways involved in mood regulation. Several studies show that individuals with SAD have altered serotonin transporter activity in winter (Praschak-Rieder et al., 2008).
2. Melatonin rhythms shift with early darkness
As evenings darken earlier, the brain begins producing melatonin sooner. This shift can cause oversleeping, daytime grogginess, and a feeling of being “out of sync.”
3. Circadian rhythm misalignment
Our internal clocks depend on morning light to regulate hormones and mood. With weak or delayed light exposure, the body’s internal rhythms drift, affecting energy and emotional steadiness (Roecklein & Rohan, 2005).
Understanding these mechanisms helps ground SAD not in personal weakness, but in biology — in the ways our bodies respond to the natural world.
Risk Factors and Root Causes
SAD does not arise from a single cause, and not everyone develops it. Factors that increase vulnerability include (Magnusson & Boivin, 2003):
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Living at northern latitudes (Rosen et al., 1990)
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A family history of depression or SAD (Melrose, 2015)
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Pre-existing mood disorders (Pjrek et al., 2016)
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Low baseline vitamin D levels (Petric, 2021)
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Sensitivity to changes in sleep patterns (Lewy et al., 2006)
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High stress in the months leading into winter (Roecklein & Rohan, 2005)
Again, nothing about SAD reflects a lack of resilience. It reflects the deep connection between humans and the cycles of nature — light, dark, warmth, cold, activity, and rest.
A Herbalist’s Perspective: Gentle and Grounded Support
Herbal medicine offers supportive tools to steady mood, energy, and sleep rhythms throughout the winter months. While herbs are not a replacement for clinical treatment when needed, they can meaningfully complement conventional care.
Drawing on both tradition and modern evidence, a herbal approach to SAD typically focuses on:
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Supporting serotonin pathways
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Nourishing the nervous system
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Calming stress and anxiety
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Improving sleep quality
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Modulating energy throughout the day
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Bringing warmth and vitality to the body
Below are herbs often used in clinical herbal practice for seasonal mood fluctuations.
Please consider consulting a medical herbalist before using them, to ensure you have a bespoke prescription matching your individual needs, medical history and presentation. If you’d like to find out more, you can book a free 15-min discovery call with one of our qualified medical herbalists by clicking here.
Herbal Allies for SAD
Herbal medicine offers multifaceted support for SAD—soothing the nervous system, steadying energy, lifting mood, improving sleep, and bringing a sense of warmth back into the body during the darker months. The herbs below are those most commonly used in clinical practice for seasonal affective disorder, supported by modern research and traditional experience.
1. St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Key actions: Mood support, nervous system nourishment, modulation of serotonin, dopamine, and GABA pathways.
St John’s wort is one of the most extensively researched herbal medicines for mild–moderate depression. Meta-analyses show outcomes comparable to SSRIs, with fewer adverse effects (Ng et al., 2017). Traditionally gathered at midsummer, Hypericum has long been associated with light and warmth—a symbolic fit for winter low mood.
Important safety note: St John’s wort interacts with many medications (including antidepressants, the oral contraceptive pill, anticoagulants, immunosuppressants, and certain pain medications), and is not suitable for everyone. Internal use must be supervised by a qualified medical herbalist. Zen Maitri does not offer internal Hypericum in its retail range for this reason, though its topical anti-inflammatory benefits appear in our Nerve Oil and Joint & Muscle Balm.
2. Saffron (Crocus sativus)
Key actions: Mood support, emotional balance, gentle nervous system uplift.
Saffron has emerged as one of the best-researched botanical antidepressants. Multiple randomized control trials show saffron extract to be as effective as SSRIs (e.g., fluoxetine, imipramine) for mild–moderate depression, with excellent tolerability (Hausenblas et al., 2015; Lopresti & Drummond, 2014). Its aromatic compounds (safranal, crocin) appear to influence serotonin reuptake and protect neural pathways from oxidative stress.
Clinically, saffron can be particularly helpful for low mood with anxiety, emotional sensitivity, and reduced motivation—common presentations in SAD.
3. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
Key actions: Adaptogenic, calming, supports sleep and stress recovery.
Ashwagandha helps stabilise the stress response, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep quality. A 2019 randomized controlled trial showed significant reductions in cortisol and improved wellbeing in stressed adults (Lopresti et al., 2019).
For many people with SAD, winter symptoms include fatigue, “wired-but-tired” evenings, and heightened stress—patterns that respond well to Withania.
Zen Maitri offers Ashwagandha Capsules, and our Deep Sleep tincture also includes Ashwagandha.
4. Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea)
Key actions: Energising adaptogen, cognitive support, mood enhancement.
Rhodiola is one of the most reliable herbs for low motivation, sluggishness, and fatigue—classic symptoms of winter depression. A systematic review found significant improvements in mild–moderate depression, energy, and cognitive function (Mao et al., 2015).
Rhodiola suits people whose SAD presents with lethargy, poor concentration, and reduced resilience to daily stress.
5. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Key actions: Calming, uplifting, sleep-supporting, digestive soothing.
Melissa offers gentle but effective emotional support. Clinical trials show reduced anxiety, improved calm, and enhanced cognitive performance under stress (Cases et al., 2011).
Melissa can be found in Zen Maitri’s Balance Tea and Deep Sleep Tea, for example.
6. Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum)
A warming, adaptogenic herb traditionally used for emotional balance and resilience.
Modern studies show anti-stress and mild antidepressant effects.
Tulsi appears in Zen Maitri’s Defend Tea, for example — helpful in a season where mood dips and infections often co-occur — but also in our Balance Tea.
7. Medicinal Mushrooms (e.g., Lion’s Mane or Hericium erinaceus, Reishi or Ganoderma lucidum)
Key actions: Cognitive clarity, nervous system nourishment, immune support, emotional steadiness.
Lion’s Mane supports neuroplasticity by enhancing nerve growth factor (NGF) signalling. A randomised controlled trial found reductions in depression and anxiety scores after four weeks of use (Szućko-Kociuba et al., 2023; Menon et al., 2025).
Reishi offers grounding, anti-inflammatory, and anxiolytic effects, supporting calmer sleep and emotional equilibrium (Zhao et al., 2012).
Zen Maitri’s Mushroom Superblend, Lion’s Mane Capsules and Brain Power Mix offer an accessible way to incorporate these into winter routines.
Daily Practices for Supporting SAD
Small, consistent rituals can significantly improve mood and resilience during darker months.
1. Morning light exposure
Aim for 20–30 minutes of outdoor light within an hour of waking. Even on cloudy days, outdoor light is far more potent than indoor bulbs.
2. Light therapy
Bright light therapy (10,000 lux) is a well-established first-line treatment for SAD (Lam et al., 2015). It helps resynchronise melatonin, serotonin, and circadian rhythms.
3. Herbs as daily rituals
Herbal teas (Balance Tea, Focus Tea, Deep Sleep Tea) and tinctures can anchor morning and evening routines — moments of warmth and grounding.
4. Vitamin D supplementation
Low winter vitamin D levels are strongly associated with SAD symptoms (Penckofer et al., 2010). Speak with a qualified healthcare practitioner about appropriate dosing.
5. Winter movement
Gentle yoga, brisk walks, and steady outdoor movement support mood through endorphin and circadian pathways.
6. Seasonal nourishment
Warm, grounding foods — stews, root vegetables, broths — align the body with winter’s slower rhythm.
Zen Maitri’s Rise & Shine Mix, Calming Cacao, and Mushroom Superblend can support morning warmth and evening comfort.
When to Seek Additional Support
If symptoms persist, intensify, or interfere with daily life, it’s important to speak with a qualified healthcare practitioner or a mental health professional.
A consultation with a medical herbalist can also provide tailored support, considering sleep patterns, stress, hormonal factors, and overall constitution.
Moving Through Winter With Support and Steadiness
Seasonal Affective Disorder is real, common, and deeply linked to our connection with the natural world. As winter arrives, it is not a personal failing to feel its weight — it is a reflection of how sensitive and responsive we are to light, seasonality, and nature’s rhythms.
Herbal medicine offers gentle, grounding tools to help restore balance — warming the body, steadying the mind, and nourishing the nervous system through the darker months.
If you or someone you love is navigating SAD, Zen Maitri’s clinical herbalists are here to support you with personalised guidance and thoughtfully crafted natural remedies.
References
Cases, J., Ibarra, A., Feuillère, N., Roller, M., & Sukkar, S. G. (2011). Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances. Medical Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 4(3), 211–218. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12349-010-0045-4
Hausenblas, H. A., Heekin, K., Mutchie, H. L., & Anton, S. (2015). A systematic review of randomized controlled trials examining the effectiveness of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on psychological and behavioral outcomes. Journal of Integrative Medicine, 13(4), 231–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-4964(15)60176-5
Lam, R. W., Levitt, A. J., Levitan, R. D., Michalak, E. E., Morehouse, R., Ramasubbu, R., Yatham, L. N., & Tam, E. M. (2015). Efficacy of bright light treatment, fluoxetine, and the combination in patients with nonseasonal major depressive disorder: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 73(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2015.2235
Lopresti, A. L., & Drummond, P. D. (2014). Saffron (Crocus sativus) for depression: A systematic review of clinical studies and examination of underlying antidepressant mechanisms of action. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental, 29(6), 517–527. https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.2434
Lewy, A. J., Lefler, B. J., Emens, J. S., & Bauer, V. K. (2006). The circadian basis of winter depression. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 103(19), 7414–7419. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0602425103
Lopresti, A. L., Smith, S. J., Malvi, H., & Kodgule, R. (2019). An investigation into the stress-relieving and pharmacological actions of an ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) extract: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Medicine, 98(37), e17186. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000017186
Magnusson, A., & Boivin, D. (2003). Seasonal affective disorder: An overview. Chronobiology International, 20(2), 189–207. https://doi.org/10.1081/CBI-120019310
Mao, J. J., Xie, S. X., Zee, J., Soeller, I., Li, Q. S., Rockwell, K., & Amsterdam, J. D. (2015). Rhodiola rosea versus sertraline for major depressive disorder: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine, 22(3), 394–399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2015.01.010
Melrose, S. (2015). Seasonal Affective Disorder: An overview of assessment and treatment approaches. Depression Research and Treatment, 2015, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/178564
Menon, A., Jalal, A., Arshad, Z., Nawaz, F. A., & Kashyap, R. (2025). Benefits, side effects, and uses of Hericium erinaceus as a supplement: A systematic review. Frontiers in Nutrition, 12, 1641246. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1641246
Ng, Q. X., Venkatanarayanan, N., & Ho, C. Y. X. (2017). Clinical use of Hypericum perforatum (St John’s wort) in depression: A meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 210, 211–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.12.048
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Praschak-Rieder, N., Willeit, M., Wilson, A. A., Houle, S., & Meyer, J. H. (2008). Seasonal variation in human brain serotonin transporter binding. Archives of General Psychiatry, 65(9), 1072–1078. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.65.9.1072
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