Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): SAD Coping Skills for Teenagers
When the seasonal shifts take a toll on a teen’s mental and physical well-being, SAD coping skills for teenagers can become a lifeline.
Yet, the majority of mental health advice online seems to be aimed at adults. While this advice might work for them, it doesn’t always fit when you’re still a teen. In fact, some tips can even backfire if your body and mind aren’t fully developed yet.
This is why, when it comes to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), we want to share guidance that’s safe, relevant, and easy to understand for a younger audience. However, it’s good to be aware that not all seasonal depression symptoms can be managed on your own. For this reason, seeking advice from a mental health professional is recommended.
If you feel like you could benefit from some practical strategies that target seasonal mood shifts, this article can help by covering:
- Why SAD can feel heavy for teens
- Treatment options for teen SAD
- Daily coping strategies for teens with SAD
- What to do when treatment isn’t effective
- How Mission Prep can help
Why SAD Can Feel Heavy for Teens
Being a teenager already often comes with enough weight, but when SAD kicks in, this weight can feel like it doubles. Early mornings can mean dragging yourself out of bed before the sun shows up and spending the day under artificial classroom lights that never really wake you up. Plus, in some countries, by the time you head home, it’s already dark again.
On top of all that, there’s the pressure to keep up appearances, especially as friends probably still want you to be able to hang out, share laughs, go places, or watch movies. But if you’re currently struggling with SAD, you’ll know that even the thought of doing these things can make you feel exhausted.
Then there’s the pressure of exams, 3000-word essays, study groups, and deadlines that always seem to pile up just as the days get shorter. This is a lot to handle – even when SAD isn’t in the picture.
Plenty of teens feel the same shift when winter rolls around, even if nobody talks about it out loud. Yet knowing that what you’re feeling has a name, and that you’re not the only one feeling it, can take away some of the shame and make space for support.
What Support Is Available for Teen SAD?
One thing that makes SAD different from other types of depression is how predictable it is.1 If you’ve already been diagnosed, you’ll probably know which months tend to weigh heaviest for you. This predictability can actually be useful because it means you can plan ahead.
The good news is that there are clear, front-line treatment options that doctors use for SAD. These options are the “go-to” approaches and have been shown to help through decades of research, as well as trial and error. Seeing them laid out can make the whole process feel less overwhelming and more like a plan of action.
The following are treatment options for SAD that could help you manage seasonal shifts.
Bright Light Therapy (BLT)
BLT is exactly what it sounds like: using bright lights that mimic the sun for a set period of time every day. Sitting in front of a device that creates this type of light has been shown to help your body clock adjust when daylight is scarce. The technique might sound a bit odd, but studies show it has the ability to ease symptoms within just a few weeks of beginning treatment.2
Also, starting the process earlier in the year, before your most troublesome season approaches, can physically and mentally equip you to fight against SAD when the time comes.
CBT-SAD
CBT-SAD is a type of therapy that has been modified so it specifically treats those with SAD.3 Specifically, it aims to focus on the negative thought patterns that often show up in winter and tries to understand their root causes. In other words, instead of letting your mind spiral into unhelpful thought patterns, CBT-SAD helps you notice them and respond differently to how you normally would.
As is the case with BLT, practicing CBT-SAD in the fall means you can build skills before winter properly kicks in. However, make sure to undergo this therapy with a mental health professional before attempting your own strategies.
Antidepressants
For some teens with SAD, doctors recommend medication. Certain antidepressants can be started before winter to reduce the impact of SAD, and one called “bupropion” is even approved specifically for prevention. Your therapist may suggest starting the medication earlier in the year and then tapering off in spring, once regular sunshine returns.4
However, as is the case with any medications, never attempt to start using these on your own. Treatment has to be managed by a doctor who understands your situation and has analyzed whether bupropion is going to be beneficial for you.
Each of these forms of therapy can play an important role in managing SAD. Yet, while professional treatment is key, there are always ways in which you can supplement the recovery process. In the next section, we provide advice and suggestions for coping with seasonal depression in your everyday life.
Daily Coping Strategies for Teens With SAD
Therapy can be a big part of recovery, but what you do in everyday life can matter just as much. The choices you make, from how you move to how you rest, can either weigh you down or give you a little extra lift when things feel heavy.
The good news is that these strategies don’t mean you have to make quick, life-altering changes. Instead, they’re small, realistic steps that can fit around school and the rest of your life outside it. Plus, when you combine these techniques with treatment, they can help you feel steadier and more in control.
The following are accessible daily coping strategies for teens with SAD:
Moving Your Body
Exercise doesn’t have to mean signing up for a gym membership or running five miles. It can be as simple as walking to school instead of catching a ride, or just putting on music and moving in your room. Even participating in Phys Ed or joining an after-school activity can help, especially if you pick something that feels fun rather than like a chore.
The reason movement helps with SAD is that it releases endorphins, and it helps balance out the slump that SAD often brings. It can also burn off nervous energy before exams and ease tension that can build up from long school days.
If you can exercise outside during daylight, even better. Activities like a quick basketball game after school or walking the dog before dinner can give you two wins: light exposure and mood support. The key is keeping it regular. One workout won’t change everything, but sticking with it over time can really make a difference.
Here are some movement ideas that could fit your life:
- Walking or biking to school → Daylight + movement
- Playing sports with friends → Exercise + social time
- Dance or yoga at home → Fun + calming
Fueling Your Mood
What you eat matters more than you might think, especially when you’re dealing with SAD, as it can zap your energy quicker than an intense workout. This makes being mindful of the food that you put into your body key to getting some of that energy back. For example, foods rich in vitamin D, omega-3s, and steady-release carbs can support both your brain and mood.
Of course, relying on vending machine snacks, for example, may feel easier in the moment, but they usually leave you more tired and irritable. A small swap, like trail mix instead of chips, or fortified milk with breakfast, can make a real difference to how steady your energy feels during the day.
It’s also important not to forget hydration. Not drinking enough water can make it harder to focus in class and may add to feelings of fatigue, which only deepens the fog of SAD. Carrying a refillable water bottle might seem basic, but it’s a quiet way to boost your brain and mood.
Mood-friendly food swaps could include:
- Vitamin D: Eggs or fortified milk for breakfast instead of plain cereal
- Omega-3s: Tuna sandwich instead of fried fast food
- Steady carbs: Oats or a wholegrain wrap in place of sugary snacks
- Color: A side of fruit or veggies with lunch instead of chips
Resetting Your Sleep
Sleep patterns can easily get out of sync for teens, regardless of whether or not you have SAD.5 Long homework sessions or constant group chats can cut into the hours your brain needs to recharge. But when your sleep rhythm is off, SAD symptoms usually get worse.
Plus, blue light from screens tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime, which is why scrolling social media at midnight feels fine until you’re dragging yourself around the next morning. There’s an easy fix to this: turn on your phone’s blue-light filter or set “phone down” times to help your body reset. We understand that staying connected with friends is important, but setting limits on late-night messaging can protect your rest. A quick check-in with your friends earlier in the evening can keep friendships strong without the constant pings at 1 am
The following is a quick sleep-friendly routine example:
- 9:30 pm → Switch on blue-light filter, dim lights
- 10:00 pm → Finish homework, put phone down
- 10:30–11:00 pm → Bedtime
Putting SAD Coping Skills Together
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by a lot of advice, but you don’t need to change everything overnight. Pick one habit, try it for a week, and notice how you feel. If you miss a day, don’t write it off as failure; come back stronger the next day.
You might also find that some habits stick better than others. Journaling, for example, might not click for you personally, but listening to calming music before bed could be what helps you unwind. What matters most is experimenting and creating a rhythm that feels natural for you.
Here’s how a balanced day might look for a teen coping with SAD:
Time | What to Try |
Morning | Eat a fortified cereal or eggs for breakfast. Do a quick stretch before school |
Commute | Walk part of the way, even if it’s just getting off the bus a stop early |
Lunch | Pack a sandwich with tuna or turkey. Add fruit on the side |
Afternoon | When energy dips, grab water and a snack like nuts instead of soda. Take a short walk after school if you can |
Evening | Use dinner prep as a way to unwind – there’s often something therapeutic about chopping veggies! |
Night | Put your phone on night mode, dim the lights, and journal or listen to calming music before bed |
When Coping Skills Aren’t Enough
Even if you’ve been strict with new habits and have given them time to settle in, there can still be moments when the weight of SAD doesn’t shift. You might eat well, move more, and keep to a bedtime, yet the fog still hangs heavy. This is often your mind’s way of asking for a different kind of support.
Some of the signs that extra help could be needed include:
- Thoughts of hurting yourself, even if you don’t act on them
- Lows that sink so deep it feels impossible to imagine things improving
- Struggling to get out of bed or missing school
- Pulling away from friends until social life feels out of reach
- Long nights with little rest, followed by mornings that feel unbearable
- Losing interest in things that usually bring comfort
- Carrying a sadness or exhaustion that never seems to ease
When these signals start to build, it shows that daily habits alone may not be enough. This is the point when reaching out can make all the difference – support from places like Mission Prep can help you find a plan that feels lighter and more manageable.
Mission Prep: Professional Support for Coping With SAD
If you’ve been working hard on coping strategies and still feel like winter is pulling you under, it may be time to look at extra support. Healthy habits can help, but when SAD digs in deep, you deserve more than just trying to push through alone.
At Mission Prep, we understand how seasonal depression can weigh on teens and families. Therapy offers space to work through heavy thoughts and learn healthy ways of managing low moods.
Our trained team can use CBT to challenge the negative thought loops that get louder in darker months, and DBT skills to steady emotions when they feel overwhelming. Plus, for teens who need a break from the constant pressures of school and social life, our inpatient programs can provide structure and time away to reset.
If seasonal depression has left you feeling stuck, Mission Prep is here to guide you toward something steadier and more lasting. Reach out today to learn how we can help.
References
- Targum, S. D., & Rosenthal, N. (2008). Seasonal Affective Disorder. Psychiatry (Edgmont), 5(5), 31. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2686645/
- Campbell, P. D., Miller, A. M., & Woesner, M. E. (2017). Bright Light Therapy: Seasonal Affective Disorder and Beyond. The Einstein Journal of Biology and Medicine : EJBM, 32, E13–E25. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6746555/
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2019, January). Seasonal affective disorder and complementary health approaches: What the science says. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/providers/digest/seasonal-affective-disorder-and-complementary-health-approaches-science
- NHS. (2021, February 12). Treatment – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Nhs.uk. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder-sad/treatment/
- DePoy, L. M., Vadnie, C. A., Petersen, K. A., Scott, M. R., Zong, W., Yin, R., Matthaei, R. C., Anaya, F. J., Kampe, C. I., Tseng, G. C., & McClung, C. A. (2024). Adolescent circadian rhythm disruption increases reward and risk-taking. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 18. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2024.1478508
