Seasonal Depression in Chicago: Why Winter Hits Harder Here
In December, Chicago loses the sun before most people leave work. For some, that brings more than a bad mood.
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From early to mid-December, the sun sets in Chicago at 4:19 p.m., and the latest sunrises of the year come around New Year's Day. Many professionals commute in the dark both ways for weeks. For a meaningful number of people, that seasonal darkness brings a real, recurring depression, not just the winter blues.
Winter Blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression with a recurring seasonal pattern, with symptoms that usually last about four to five months a year. The more common winter pattern tends to bring oversleeping, carbohydrate cravings with weight gain, and pulling away from people. A diagnosis requires depressive episodes in the same season for at least two consecutive years.
The winter blues are milder: you feel more sluggish and less motivated, but work, relationships, and sleep stay mostly intact. When the low mood starts to cost you at work or at home, it is worth treating as more than weather.
Why It Is More Common This Far North
Seasonal affective disorder is more common in people who live farther north, where winter days are shorter. It usually begins in young adulthood, is much more common in women than in men, and is more likely in people with depression, bipolar II disorder, or relatives with mental illness.
How It Shows Up at Work
- Mornings that feel impossible, and an energy crash by mid-afternoon
- More caffeine during the day and more alcohol at night to compensate
- Declining invitations and doing the minimum in meetings
- Work that used to feel manageable now feels like wading through mud
It is easy to mistake this for burnout. The seasonal timing, returning around the same months each year, is the clue.
Treatments With Real Evidence
- Light therapy: sitting in front of a 10,000-lux light box for about 30 to 45 minutes a day, usually in the morning, from fall to spring. People with certain eye conditions, or who take medications that increase light sensitivity, may need medical supervision. People with bipolar disorder should use it only with a clinician's guidance.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy for SAD: in a direct comparison, it worked about as well as light therapy, and its benefits appeared to last longer.
- Antidepressants: these often take four to eight weeks to work. Extended-release bupropion is FDA-approved to prevent seasonal episodes when started in the fall.
- Vitamin D: many people with winter-pattern SAD are low in it, but study results on supplements are mixed.
Talk with a clinician before starting any treatment, including a light box or supplements.
Small Habits That Help in a Chicago Winter
- Get outside in daylight early in the day, even for 15 minutes on the lakefront or a walk to the train
- Keep wake-up and bedtimes steady, including on weekends
- Schedule social plans in advance, before the dark makes canceling easy
- Keep exercising, and watch how much you drink
When to Get Help
If low mood lasts more than two weeks, your work or relationships are suffering, or this pattern returns every winter, talk to a clinician. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 or go to the nearest emergency department.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Seasonal affective disorder. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder
- NBC Chicago. The darkest days of the year are here: what to know as the solstice approaches. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/the-darkest-days-of-the-year-are-here-what-to-know-as-the-solstice-approaches/3619674/
Published 2026 · Reviewed for accuracy against the sources listed above.
About the Author
Jerrin Mathew, BSN, RN
Registered nurse with a clinical background spanning emergency medical services, ICU care, skilled nursing, cardiac telemetry, and neurocritical care at a Level I trauma center. Currently completing graduate education in psychiatric-mental health nursing, with an expected graduation in 2027.
Writing here focuses on the intersection of psychiatric illness and demanding professional life — what gets missed, what gets mislabelled, and what is worth taking to a clinician.
More about my background →