If the darker winter months leave you feeling drained, moody, or unmotivated, you’re not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects millions each year, often disrupting sleep, energy, and emotional balance. While conventional treatments can help, many people are turning to natural remedies for SAD to restore their well-being in gentle, holistic ways. From light therapy and mood-boosting nutrients to mindfulness and herbal supports, this guide explores the most effective natural approaches to help you lift your spirits and thrive all season long.
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* Information in this post is not professional medical advice and should not be relied on or used in place of consultation with healthcare professionals. Should you have any medical questions, please consult your primary healthcare provider. **
Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression that typically appears during the fall and winter months when sunlight is limited. Common symptoms include persistent low mood, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, changes in sleep or appetite, and a general loss of interest in daily activities. SAD affects around 10 millions Americans and another 10-20% of people experience SAD symptoms and low mood during the winter months.
While it can feel overwhelming, SAD is both recognized and manageable—and there are many ways to support yourself naturally.
Why Does SAD Happen: The Science Behind It
Reduced sunlight in the winter affects the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm), which regulates sleep, hormones, and mood. Less sunlight also means lower levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that contributes to feelings of happiness, and higher melatonin, which makes us feel sleepy. These changes together can trigger the familiar “winter blues” that define SAD. Some people experience milder forms and feel a little blue, while others experience very intense winter depressive symptoms that are all encompassing. This is a circumstantial form of depression and can be managed when we understand what the root cause is.
Conventional Treatments vs. Natural Approaches
Traditional treatments for SAD may include antidepressants, psychotherapy, or structured light therapy. While effective for many, some people prefer a holistic approach. Many also prefer to avoid potential side effects from conventional psychotherapeutic drugs. That’s where natural remedies for SAD come in—supporting mental health through nutrition, movement, sunlight exposure, herbs, and mindful self-care.
It’s incredibly important to ensure that you are keeping well nourished with whole food meals, routinely exercising and getting outside whenever possible. That being said, sometimes low moods hit and make it harder to take care of oneself. That is when holistic supports can come in handy to give you the mental boost and reset you may need to take better care of yourself.
Ideally, you use a mix of lifestyle and holistic supports like the ones I am mention below to help support those winter blues.
The Best Natural Remedies for SAD
As a past mental health counsellor, I often ran into patients experiencing seasonal dips in mood and SAD. There are two very practical holistic supports that were suggested when symptoms arose. First, to ensure light exposure remained priority. Outdoor walks when possible. However, living in a cold area with harsh weather in the winter can hinder this goal. Light therapy has been around for decades. There are a number of SAD lamps on the market but because of the additional benefits that red light has to offer, I prefer to use it instead. Here’s why:
Red Light Therapy as a Natural Remedy for SAD
Light therapy is one of the best natural remedies for SAD. This is not surprising considering the main root cause of SAD is lack of sunlight. Less exposure to sunlight during fall and winter months disrupts sleep patterns (also know as circadian rhythm) and lowers serotonin levels. Serotonin is our “feel good” neurotransmitter. Many forms of depression are a direct result from poor serotonin levels. You can see why light is such an important factor when it comes to a condition like SAD.
- A 2009 study published in the journal “Behavioral and Brain Functions” found that light therapy significantly lowered depressive symptoms in patients with Seasonal Affective Disorder.
- A number of studies indicate that red light therapy specifically boosts serotonin levels and reduces symptoms of SAD related to this.
- Research has also shown that red light therapy is able to reduce cortisol which is our body’s stress hormone. This decrease in overall stress helps alleviate symptoms like low mood, etc.
Red light therapy is well studied and has a long history of healing, but it wasn’t until recently that companies began making it accessible at home. You used to have to go to a physiotherapist or practitioner who offered this type of treatment. This typically costs hundreds of dollars per visit and is generally limited to physical injuries such as sprained ankles, etc. Now that red light therapy devices are being made for at home use, the healing possibilities are endless. It is a much more affordable than seeking care from a practitioner to receive red light as well.
You may be wondering, what is the best at home red light device? Let’s dig into my favorite option.
Lumebox for SAD: The Best Red Light Therapy Device
Now that you understand the benefits of red light for SAD and low winter mood, you may be wondering what red light device is best. I have used and loved the most effective red light therapy device on the market for years now. Our family uses it for so many different ailments, you can have a look at all the ways you can use the lumebox HERE. But, it is especially beneficial for SAD due to it’s high irradiance.
Higher irradiance allows it to safely penetrate deep beneath the skin and offer beneficial healing to your mitochondria and cells. This type of deep healing is what will offer you the boost you need to elevate mood, balance circadian rhythm and support the body in producing more mood friendly serotonin.
The Lumebox is much more effective than most other red light therapy devices on the market for a number of reasons. It was created by an MD who needed a therapeutic grade red light support at home for her Father’s healing. After seeing it’s benefits, she decided to make Lumebox and red light therapy readily available to everyone from their home. Lumebox is an FDA registered red light therapy device. It’s also classified as a Class II medical device due to it’s proven safety and efficacy. If you want to dive deeper into it’s benefits, you can read my blog comparing the Lumebox to other top red light device on the market HERE.
Why Lumebox vs Other Brands
- Lumebox was created by an MD
- Lumebox is FDA registered and certified
- Lumebox is registered as a class II medical device
- Lumebox is third party tested for safety and efficacy
- Lumebox is low EMF and conducts a more reliable EMF test than other brands
- Lumebox delivers BOTH red light and NIR (Near Infrared) simultaneously or with settings to deliver them separately for different therapeutic benefits
- Lumebox has no presence of harmful UV rays
- Lumebox has 80% greater NIR irradiance than other brands (irradiance refers to healing power and ability)
- Lumebox has 58% greater red light irradiance than other brands
- Lumebox is 25% bigger/more healing bulbs than other devices, it has the ability to treat a larger surface area at one time.
- Lumebox offers a portable design so you can bring red light therapy with you anywhere you go
- Lumebox is more accessible for at home treatments and affordable (especially with the exclusive discount code they provided THV readers that is almost 40% off. See below)
Lumebox Discount Code
Lumebox has offered all THV readers an exclusive discount code. The link below ill automatically apply a $260 discount on the lumebox red light therapy device. If the link does not apply for some reason, you can use Lumebox discount code: THEHOLISTICVANITY at checkout on their website HERE.
Where to Buy Lumebox
Vitamin D as a Natural Remedy for SAD
Next, I wanted to address one of the most impactful nutrients related to SAD: Vitamin D. Low vitamin D levels have been linked to depression, low mood, and an increased likelihood of SAD. Patients with SAD symptoms often tested for low levels of Vitamin D. This is unsurprising as SAD is a result of lower light exposure and Vitamin D is the very nutrient we receive in abundance from the Sun. The sun is our #1 source of vitamin D, so when our sunlight exposure decreases, naturally our Vitamin D level will as well.
Vitamin D supplementation has been well established as a natural remedy for SAD, depression, and low mood in general. As someone who lives in a harsh climate and has often experienced low vitamin D levels during the winter, I can certainly vouch for the success of supplementing as needed. For this and so many reasons, Vitamin D supplementation is one of the best natural remedies for SAD.
However, most vitamin D drops do not contain all of the co-factors necessary for our bodies to properly use and synthesize vitamin D. Rendering it useless for supporting deficiencies. Recently a unique and never seen before vitamin D complex has launched with all necessary co-factors required for it to process in the body. Since taking it, my family has noticed marked improvement in mood, energy, immunity and my blood test markers for Vitamin D deficiency have improved dramatically.
Joywell Vitamin D Complex for SAD
I have written an in depth blog post on the Joywell Vitamin D Complex HERE. I dive into what sets it apart from all other Vitamin D supplements on the market. In summary, Joywell has created a Vitamin D complex that contains all the co-factors. These nutrients are necessary to ensure your body can absorb and use the Vitamin D in the first place. Without them, our bodies are unable to gain any benefit from Vitamin D supplementation. A Vitamin D deficiency often goes hand in hand with these other nutrients being low. Optimizing them at the same time is the best way to ensure your body gets the benefits!
Here’s a quick breakdown of Joywell Vitamin D Complex:
Joywell Discount Code
Joywell has graciously offered all THV Readers an exclusive discount code. Use Joywell discount code: HOLISTICVANITY at checkout to save. You can shop Joywell HERE or through their products linked below.
Where to Buy Joywell Vitamin D Complex
Joywell Vitamin D3 Complex
Joywell Histamine Hero
Joywell Heme Complex
Final Thoughts on Natural Remedies for SAD
Winter can be challenging, but it also offers a unique opportunity to slow down, nurture yourself, and reconnect with what truly matters. By exploring natural remedies for SAD, you can gently lift your mood, restore your energy, and cultivate inner light even when the world outside feels dim. Remember—self-care isn’t just a luxury; it’s your way of honoring both your body and your emotional well-being.
A few more blog articles you may love:
- Joywell Vitamin D Review: Supplements by The Holistic Mother (+ Discount Code)
- Cowboy Colostrum Vs ARMRA Colostrum: What’s the Difference
- How to use Lumebox Red Light Therapy Device: A Step by Step Tutorial and FAQ’s
- Lumebox vs. Bon Charge: Comparing Red Light Devices (+ discount code)
- 16 Health Benefits of Red Light Therapy
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