Emplify Health by Gundersen offers steps to preserve health when seasonal blues set in

Dec. 11, 2025

LA CROSSE — If you’ve noticed that the shorter, colder days have started to take their toll
on your mental wellbeing, you’re not alone. Not only can it play a role with our physical
health, but it can change our sleep patterns, affect our body’s hormones and lead to
vitamin deficiencies – especially in northern climates.

These symptoms and more can lead to what’s known as Seasonal Affective Disorder. It’s a
condition that looks a lot like depression, and it can include fatigue, a lack of concentration,
and withdrawal or isolation tendencies. Changes in appetite may also occur.

“If you notice any of those things starting to creep up, number one, know that you’re not
alone. There are a lot of people who go through this seasonal affective change,” says
Christie Harris, a wellness education specialist at Emplify Health by Gundersen. “But also,
know that you don’t have to suffer through this.”

If this is yearly occurrence that you know will take place one winter sets in, you can take
steps to prepare for these changes and minimize their impact, Harris says. In consultation
with your primary care provider, it could be prudent to take a Vitamin D supplement.

“A lot of providers will say to take some extra Vitamin D during the winter,” Harris says.
“And some will even say all year round because even sometimes, where we live, we may
not get enough Vitamin D throughout the entire year.”

No matter what you’re feeling, it’s a good idea to talk with your primary care provider to let
them know what you’re experiencing. For some, adequate sleep, more exercise and better
eating habits may be sufficient, but others could need more – like a medication or a
discussion with a mental health professional.

“If we can watch what we’re eating, get some activity in and make sure that we’re trying to
work on that adequate sleep, it could make a big impact on our overall health,” she says.
And it never hurts to have something enjoyable to look forward to during the winter
months. Anytime there’s something enjoyable on the horizon, it helps to boost the mood,
Harris says, adding, though, that whatever it is lasts for just a short time and can help in
conjunction with other measures.

No matter what course of treatment one might follow, everyone, Harris says, would do well
to step into the light – sunlight, that is.

“Even if it’s cold out, even if it’s a little dreary, any time you can get outside and get moving
a little bit outdoors, that’s really to us,” she says. “And if you can’t, if you can at least open
up your blinds and try to get some sort of natural light in, it’s a way for you to tell your body
it’s time to get going, and that extra daylight kind of help to perk out moods a little bit and
help us feel better.”

To learn more about how you can stay active in the winter and take care of your mental
health, visit gundersenhealth.org/health-wellness/staying-healthy/how-to-stay-active-in-thewinte