Reclaiming SAD: Honoring the Season of Rest and Release
As the daylight hours shrink and the trees begin their autumnal letting go, many of us start to feel the weight of the season settle in. Fatigue, low mood, and the urge to retreat inward are common experiences during the fall and winter months. In mainstream mental health discourse, this is often labeled as Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.)—a form of depression linked to the reduced light and colder weather. But what if we reframed this experience, not as a disorder, but as an invitation?
At Roots & Rays, we believe there is nothing disordered about feeling more tender, more internal, or more still as the seasons shift. Nature itself is slowing down. The leaves fall, the soil rests, animals burrow and hibernate. The natural world models for us a truth that modern life often refuses to make room for: rest is sacred. Death and decay are part of the cycle.
So why are we expected to push through with the same productivity, output, and pace all year long?
Nature's Rhythms vs. Capitalist Expectations
In a culture that glorifies hustle and hyper-productivity, needing rest is seen as weakness. But that framing reflects the system, not the soul. Depression and exhaustion are very real—especially when we’re told, directly or indirectly, that our bodies and spirits should operate like machines.
But we are not machines. We are ecosystems. And ecosystems honor every part of the cycle: bloom, growth, and dormancy.
Instead of labeling ourselves as broken for feeling the pull of fall and winter, what if we honored it?
A Rebrand for S.A.D.:
Stillness. Awareness. Deepening.
We propose a new meaning for S.A.D.—Stillness. Awareness. Deepening. This time of year can be a profound portal for reflection, integration, and spiritual composting. It is a time to mark transitions and metaphorical deaths—not with fear, but with ritual.
Ritual might look like journaling with candlelight, taking silent walks in the changing woods, letting go of what no longer serves through art-making, or sharing grief and stories in community. These are not just coping strategies—they are ancient, embodied tools of resilience.
Honoring the Slowness
Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry, writes,
“You were not just born to center your entire existence on work and labor. You were born to heal, to grow, to be of service to yourself and community, to practice, to experiment, to create, to have space, to dream, and to connect.”
We return to this quote often in our work because it so beautifully articulates what capitalism has tried to erase: that rest is not a luxury—it's a birthright. And the sadness that arises in these colder months might not always be pathological—it might be our body’s deepest wisdom asking us to pause.
You Are Not Alone
If you're struggling this season, you’re not alone—and support is here. At Roots & Rays, we offer creative counseling and trauma-informed care that honors the whole of who you are, including the seasons of your life. We invite you to explore ways of connecting to this seasonal shift with curiosity, compassion, and creativity.
Let’s slow down—together.