SAD Season in Delhi? Harsh Cold May Be Messing With Your Mind More Than You Think

As

Delhi shivers through one of its coldest winters in years, the dip in temperature and shrinking daylight hours may be doing more than just making people reach for extra blankets, they might be affecting mental health too. Experts warn that the combination of cold weather, shorter days and reduced sun exposure creates the ideal conditions for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of seasonal depression.

What is SAD and why winter worsens it?

SAD is a mood disorder tied to seasonal changes. In most people, symptoms begin with the onset of fall or winter and fade when spring returns.During colder, darker months, reduced sunlight can disrupt your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm. This may lead to chemical shifts in the brain, lowered serotonin (a mood‑regulating neurotransmitter) and altered melatonin (a hormone that regulates sleep), resulting in persistent low mood, fatigue, sleep changes, irritability, and a general sense of gloom. For many in Delhi, as days shorten and cold intensifies, these biological changes may combine with social and lifestyle patterns (less time outside, less physical activity, long stretches indoors) to worsen mood and energy levels.

Signs to watch out for

If you’ve noticed that as winter deepens you:

• Feel persistently sad, down or empty for days on end
• Lose interest in hobbies or socializing, prefer to “hibernate”
• Experience extreme fatigue, difficulty focusing or unusually heavy sleepiness
• Overeat (especially carbs), gain weight, or feel sluggish
• Feel increasingly irritable, hopeless, or anxious

These feelings could be more than just “winter blues.” For some people, such persistent changes signal SAD.

What you can do? Practical steps to survive the winter blues

Seek daylight even on chilly days. Try to spend time near sunny windows or step out for short walks in daylight, especially in the morning. Sunlight helps regulate serotonin and melatonin.Stay active and exercise as and when you can, even light indoor workouts do. They help boost mood and counteracts lethargy that winter brings.Keep a routine. Wake up and wind down at fixed times. Consistent sleep, meals and social contact can help stabilise mood and fight the sluggishness.Watch out for symptoms if anything shows up. If sadness persists for weeks, or you experience hopelessness, lack of interest in life, or changes in sleep or appetite, consider talking to a mental‑health professional. SAD is treatable through light therapy, counselling or, sometimes, medications.

Why Delhiites shouldn’t brush off winter gloom

While SAD is more commonly discussed in countries far from the equator, studies and local doctors confirm that people in Indian cities, including Delhi, are not immune. Reduced sun exposure, cold weather, indoor confinement and changing social patterns can all combine to trigger symptoms, especially in sensitive individuals.This winter, pay attention not just to the chill in the air, but to your state of mind too. What may seem like “just tiredness” or “winter blues” could be a cry for help from your brain.