The Winter Blues are More Common in Women Than Men

Winter has fully set in and with that can come not only extra darkness outside but also inside as our brains and bodies deal with temperature drops and little sunlight. There are some days I leave for work in darkness and come home in darkness. That alone can feel a little depressing. It can be hard to find energy when it feels like all the days run together.

The level of severity and duration with which this feeling lasts can vary greatly. Some might just have days here and there where the winter weather and darker days cause more sluggish behavior than they’d like. But for others, it can be quite more than that. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a major depressive disorder occurring during the same season each year, affects about 10 million Americans. In addition, 10 to 20 percent have some mild form of the disorder. While it can occur during any season, it is much more common in the winter.

When I learned that it is four times more common in women than in men, it got me thinking and looking more into the topic. There have been studies done but nothing that really points to the exact reason why this is more common in women.

Now, I have zero medical credentials and would always encourage actual medical advice, but with that being said, it does not stop me from coming up with thoughts on why it is more common in women. In reading that women with SAD experience more overall tiredness and an inability to feel pleasure than men with SAD do, I honestly can’t help but wonder if this has to do anything with the pressure that is put on women these days. As moms, we are naturally tired. We are not only juggling parenting and all that comes with that but more often than not, full time careers and extracurricular roles like PTA. When it comes to feeling pleasure, and I am not just meaning sexual, often times we are just plain tapped out. All of our energy and focus is tied to keeping the wheels on life and it can be hard to stop and actually remember the joy that should be coming with that all.

I feel like women might be more susceptible just because many of us push ourselves to the extreme. If we are already right on the brink, it actually makes sense that we would be taken down by things like winter blues or even SAD. This could be an argument for something as simple as the common cold too, I suppose.

Dads and husbands, please don’t interpret this to mean I am saying you don’t bust a move when it comes to parenting and household responsibilities. With the majority of households being dual income these days that means many moms and dads are playing an equal part in life. But in my experience, many women are just better at multi-tasking which means it’s hard to shut off our brains. This could possibly lead to more exhaustion and possibly being more susceptible.

I have both men and women in my life who struggle with mild winter blues all the way to actual diagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder. I see how it can impact not only the person who has it but the people in their lives as well. If you are struggling even with a mild case, I would encourage you to seek help. There could be simple yet effective ways to help yourself and those you love.