Caring for Yourself Through SAD & Chronic Pain: Finding Light in the Darker Months
As the seasons shift and daylight becomes scarce, many people notice changes not only in their mood, but also in their bodies. This time of year, many may experience a noticeable increase in chronic pain, fatigue, irritability, or anxiety during the winter months, sometimes without fully understanding why it’s happening.
If you’ve been feeling heavier lately or your pain has been more present, you’re not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can intertwine with chronic pain in very real and challenging ways, and it’s completely valid to find this time of year harder to navigate.
Our aim is to help you move through this season with gentleness, self-understanding and tools that support both your mind and body.
Why SAD Can Make Chronic Pain Feel Worse
Your body responds to the lack of sunlight.
Less natural light affects mood, sleep, and energy levels. When our sleep or mood dip, pain often becomes louder. It’s not “in your head” it’s your nervous system responding to the environment around you.
Cold weather can heighten pain sensitivity.
Conditions like migraines, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain often flare in colder temperatures or with rapid weather changes.
Emotional strain impacts your physical experience.
When you’re anxious, stressed or overwhelmed, your body naturally holds more tension. Over time, this can increase pain and leave you feeling drained emotionally and physically. Understanding this mind-body connection can help you make sense of your experience and reduce the shame or self-judgment that sometimes follows pain flare-ups.
Coping Tools for SAD, Anxiety, and Chronic Pain
Here are gentle, realistic strategies we often explore with clients at Radiant Psychotherapy as they can support your emotional and physical well-being through the winter months.
1. Invite Light Into Your Day
Morning natural light when possible
Sitting near a window for your morning coffee or slow breakfast
Light therapy boxes (if accessible, and speaking to a medical profession about more information on this treatment).
Pairing light with warmth such as incorporating a heating pad, warm socks, cozy blanket can soothe both mood and pain.
2. Move in Ways That Feel Kind, Not Punishing
Movement doesn’t have to look like exercise. It can also be:
Soft stretching
Gentle mobility work
Slow walks indoors or outdoors
Restorative or chair yoga
Small, intentional movement helps regulate the nervous system and reduce tension.
3. Support a Stressed Nervous System
When chronic pain and seasonal depression intensify, grounding practices can help create a sense of safety:
Deep, slow breathing
Hand-over-heart grounding
Five senses check-in (5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste)
Progressive muscle relaxation
Warm baths or showers to soothe muscles and regulate overwhelm
These practices help lower the overall stress load on your body.
4. Create a Cozy, Low-Stimulation Space
A small, comforting corner can make a big impact. Here are some cozy ideas to incorporate into your space. Think of it as your winter sanctuary; a place your nervous system can exhale.
Soft lighting
Gentle scents or essential oils
Weighted blankets
Calm music or silence
A tidy, soothing environment
5. Honour Your Social Capacity
Your energy may shift during this season. It’s okay to:
Leave events early
Choose quieter plans
Say “yes” to connection and “no” to overwhelm
Build in recovery time after social interactions
You get to protect your capacity without guilt!
6. Maintain Simple, Supportive Routines
Consistency helps your body find steadiness:
Regular sleep and wake times
Nourishing meals
Gentle movement
A daily check-in: What do I need today—emotionally, physically, or energetically?
These small rituals can serve as anchors during darker months.
Supporting Someone with SAD and Chronic Pain
A few gentle ways to help your loved one who is living with chronic pain, chronic illness, seasonal depression, and SAD:
Ask what support would feel helpful
Offer low-energy companionship
Validate their experience
Check in regularly in small, meaningful ways
Honour their boundaries and capacity
Help with practical tasks if appropriate
Your presence doesn’t need to be big, it needs to be compassionate!
You’re Not Meant to Carry This Season Alone
Winter can be a challenging time for mind and body, especially when chronic pain and mood changes overlap. If you’re finding this season difficult, therapy can offer a warm, grounded space to explore coping tools, understand what your body is communicating, and build compassion for yourself through the darker months.
At Radiant Psychotherapy & Wellness, we’re here to support you whether you’re seeking relief, clarity, connection, or simply a place to exhale.
Written by: Rachael Pogue, Registered Psychotherapist