You Need More People: The Truth About the Winter Blues
Beating Seasonal Affective Disorder has less to do with your brain chemistry and gut health, and more to do with our community and how we gather.
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It happened: the weather made that quiet shift into winter, and it’s undeniably coat weather again. For many, this is when work slows down and nightlife gets quieter, and suddenly your living room is more appealing than some event that’s two trains away. Why bother piling on layers of clothes and blowing money on Uber surge charges when you can burrow under covers and watch your favorite show?
But that urge to stay in can quietly morph into something heavier: isolation. And for many, that’s the first flicker of seasonal sadness.
It’s Not Just You, It’s the Culture
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) affects about 5% of Americans in a diagnosable way, but one in five of us might feel the winter blues to some degree. That can look like low energy, messed-up sleep, mood dips, or those weirdly urgent carb cravings.
Serotonin — a brain chemical that impacts how good we feel — has long been blamed for depression. But the story is bigger than that. A 2022 study in Molecular Psychiatry found no strong proof that low serotonin alone causes depression. Instead, it’s often a combo of stress, sleep cycles, trauma, gut health, and maybe most of all: disconnection.
The decrease in sunlight in the wintertime is definitely impactful on our mood and motivation. But the decrease in people is another culprit in the winter blues — and one we can actually do something about.
Community is Medicine
A perfect litmus test for how our social life affects our brain was the COVID-19 pandemic, when isolation was a social requirement. During the height of the quarantine, people with solid social support had lower rates of depression, better sleep, and stronger overall well-being, according to studies.
The solution doesn’t have to be some big coordinated event. Impromptu, hyper-local outings or gathering at home can be just as grounding. Whether you celebrate the holidays or not, you don’t have to wait until the calendar tells you to bring a dish to a friend’s house. Plan bi-weekly potlucks, throw a casual game night, or host a living room listening party.
Don’t forget to check on your flaky friends. When someone in your circle has a hard time showing up, don’t assume the worst. Whether they’re dealing with a drop in serotonin or a drop in funds, meet people where they are. Gathering isn’t just something fun to do on a Saturday night — it’s mental health advocacy.
Embrace the Slow Down
There’s a happy medium between getting turned up and rotting on the couch. It’s something Okayplayer explores in our "How To Be Outside Inside" series, which looks at how people across NYC are finding slower ways to stay social, on their own terms.
Bed-Stuy couple Kiesh Herman and Crystal Anderson opt for more hyper-local socializing since having a baby. Harlem-based historian Toya Coleman shared her go-to spots for quiet meandering when she wants movement without the crowd. Rapper MC Lyte said she likes hopping on a CitiBike to catch up with friends in Brooklyn.
The common thread? They’re not disconnecting, they’re just doing connection differently. And that’s the real takeaway. What we often call “seasonal depression” might be less about a chemical imbalance and more about what we’ve let go of: rhythm, ritual, community. The good news is, those things are still available. Even in winter. Even when you’d rather not leave your block.
