Why Winter Can Affect Your Mood, Even in Australia
By the middle of winter, plenty of people notice their mood has flattened out a little. Mornings feel harder to start. Motivation for things that felt easy in summer suddenly takes more effort than it should.
It can feel strange to admit this in a country known for sunshine, but it happens here too, including in Brisbane.
Is this seasonal affective disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder, often shortened to SAD, is a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern, usually appearing in autumn and winter before lifting again in spring (Healthdirect Australia, 2024). It is a recognised pattern, but it is also genuinely rare in this country.
One Melbourne based study estimated the prevalence at around 0.3 per cent, describing winter SAD as rare in temperate Australia (Murray, 2004). Current diagnostic classification systems do not even recognise SAD as a stand alone disorder in its own right (Nevarez-Flores et al., 2022).
That gap between how often people talk about winter blues and how rarely SAD is formally diagnosed is part of why this topic gets confusing. Most people who feel lower in winter are not experiencing SAD. They are noticing something more ordinary, and usually more manageable.
What the symptoms actually look like
Healthdirect lists a common winter pattern that includes (Healthdirect Australia, 2024):
Low mood
Sleeping more than usual
Low energy and persistent fatigue
Craving carbohydrates and sugary food
Gaining weight
Losing interest in things you would normally enjoy
These symptoms tend to build slowly across the season rather than arriving all at once, and they usually ease again once the weather warms up (Healthdirect Australia, 2024). The tricky part is that this pattern can look a lot like general low mood, burnout, or depression that simply happens to feel worse right now.
Why winter affects mood at all
The leading theory points to light. Shorter days change the amount of light reaching your eyes, which affects your circadian rhythm and the production of melatonin and serotonin, two of the chemicals involved in regulating sleep and mood (Healthdirect Australia, 2024).
Some people notice this shift more than others. Healthdirect lists being female, being younger, having a family history of depression or SAD, and living further from the equator as risk factors (Healthdirect Australia, 2024). That last point lines up with Australian research, which has found the highest concentration of seasonal mood symptoms in Tasmania, the country's southernmost state, even though research on this topic in Australia remains comparatively limited (Nevarez-Flores et al., 2023).
Brisbane's mild winters mean most of us sit at the lower end of that risk. Mild does not mean nothing, though. Shorter daylight hours, colder mornings, and the pull to stay indoors can still nudge mood and energy in a noticeable direction.
What can help
If you have noticed a dip, a few practical steps tend to make a genuine difference:
Let in as much natural light as you can. Open the blinds and sit near a window during the day.
Get outside, even briefly. A short walk at lunchtime does more than people expect.
Keep moving. Regular exercise is one of the more reliable mood supports during the colder months (Healthdirect Australia, 2024).
Protect your sleep routine, since oversleeping can quietly deepen low mood.
For symptoms that feel heavier or more persistent, healthdirect points to a few clinical options, including light therapy, vitamin D supplements, psychotherapy such as cognitive behaviour therapy, and in more severe cases, antidepressant medication, usually arranged through a GP and a mental health professional (Healthdirect Australia, 2024).
This is where therapy can be genuinely useful, even without a formal SAD diagnosis. At Valentia Health, our psychologists support people with low mood and depression all year round, including the kind that quietly creeps in with the change of season, using approaches such as CBT alongside practical, neurodiverse-informed care.
When it is worth getting support
A bad week is not the same as a pattern. If low mood, fatigue, or loss of interest has lasted more than two or three weeks, is affecting work, study, or relationships, or keeps returning at the same time each year, it is worth raising with a GP. They can talk through a mental health care plan and, if needed, a referral (Healthdirect Australia, 2024).
Noticing a change in yourself and asking what it means is never an overreaction. It is usually the first sensible step toward feeling more like yourself again.
If you are based in Brisbane and would like to talk to someone, Valentia Health offers in person sessions in Taringa, close to Indooroopilly, Toowong, and Auchenflower, along with telehealth appointments across Australia. You can find out more or book a session at valentiahealth.com.au. Medicare rebates are available with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP.
References
Healthdirect Australia. (2024). Seasonal affective disorder (SAD). https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/seasonal-affective-disorder
Murray, G. (2004). How common is seasonal affective disorder in temperate Australia? A comparison of BDI and SPAQ estimates. Journal of Affective Disorders, 81(1), 23-28. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15183596/
Nevarez-Flores, A. G., Bostock, E. C. S., & Neil, A. L. (2022). Should clinicians and the general population be concerned about seasonal affective disorder in Australia? Medical Journal of Australia, 216(10), 507-509. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51518
Nevarez-Flores, A. G., Bostock, E. C. S., & Neil, A. L. (2023). The underexplored presence of seasonal affective disorder in the southern hemisphere: A narrative review of the Australian literature. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 162, 170-179. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37167837/
Disclaimer
This post is for general informational purposes and is not a substitute for professional psychological advice. If you are in crisis, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or call 000.