Seasons of the Soul: Finding Hope Through the Winter Blues

Many of us know the feeling well: the days get shorter, the skies stay gray, and it feels like energy and joy fade right along with the light. For some, it’s more than “just” feeling tired and unmotivated — it’s a real pattern of mood changes tied to the seasons.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD

A form of depression that tends to occur at the same time every year, most often beginning in late fall or early winter and easing with the warmth and light of spring and summer.

In clinical terms, this is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, a form of depression that tends to occur at the same time every year, most often beginning in late fall or early winter and easing with the warmth and light of spring and summer. Symptoms can include low energy, difficulty concentrating, loss of interest in activities you usually enjoy, oversleeping, weight gain, and social withdrawal. These changes aren’t a personal weakness — they’re recognized patterns that many people experience, especially in regions far from the equator with longer, darker winters.

Experts have studied SAD for decades. Research suggests that reduced sunlight exposure may affect brain chemicals like serotonin and melatonin — which influence mood and sleep — and disrupt the body’s internal clock, contributing to depressive symptoms. While not everyone experiences clinical SAD, many people feel the “winter blues” more intensely during long, cold stretches.

In Ohio this winter, we’ve certainly felt it — long periods of cold and gray can wear on anyone’s heart and spirit.

But Scripture reminds us of something deeply reassuring: the seasons themselves are under God’s good design. Just as the earth rests and renews, so our souls need rhythms of rest and renewal too.

“For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come…” — Song of Solomon 2:11–12

That promise doesn’t mean every day will feel bright or easy, but it speaks to a deeper truth: God has ordered time and seasons, and the darkness of winter always gives way to the light of spring. There is hope built into the very turning of the year.

Another psalm writer reflects on this mystery of rest and renewal:

“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.” — Psalm 23:2–3

Sometimes restoration looks like joy and energy returning easily. Other times it looks like patience, steady trust, and small moments of peace in the midst of winter’s heaviness.

For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come…

Song of Solomon 2:11–12

What You Can Do While You Wait for Spring

1. Get outside when you can.
Even on chilly or overcast days, natural light can help regulate your body’s rhythm and lift your mood. Research supports that just a bit of time outdoors — short walks or intentional daylight exposure — can make a difference in how we feel, especially when sunlight is limited.

2. Practice intentional rest and renewal.
God designed seasons of quiet. If winter feels long, give yourself permission to rest — not as defeat, but as participation in God’s created rhythm. Read the Word, sit with your thoughts, journal your prayers, reflect on God’s faithfulness.

3. Enjoy life-giving activities.
Engage in hobbies, creative pursuits, warm routines, and nourishing habits that bring you comfort and connection. Cozy evenings with a book, time in Scripture, baking, art, or gentle movement can help steady your heart through darker days.

4. Stay connected.
Isolation can make seasonal lows feel heavier. Reach out to friends — maybe invite someone from your church to walk with you, share a warm meal, or study Scripture together. Community reminds us we are not alone in the waiting.

5. Use the supports God provides.
There are effective treatments — from light therapy to therapy and counseling — that can help people manage significant seasonal mood changes. These are not signs of weakness, but tools God uses to bring healing and hope.

And when you feel like you need deeper support, remember: Hope Counseling is here to walk with you through seasonal struggles, offering compassion, care, and partnership in your healing journey.

Winter will not last forever — neither will the heaviness in your heart. God’s promise of changing seasons reminds us that light always returns, and in the meantime, He walks with us through every shadowed day.

💛 If you’re struggling with mood changes or seasonal depression, reach out — to God in prayer, to your church community, and to trusted professionals who care.

We’re here with you waiting for spring. ❄️🌱