Seasonal Mood Changes and CBD: Can It Help?

Twice each year, the number of daylight hours and darkness are close to equal. The astronomical events were once celebrated by ancient civilizations as a time of balance, rebirth, and renewal. In our Northern hemisphere, that celestial balance happens a few days before spring and then again after the beginning of autumn. Summer officially ends in late September when the sun is directly above the equator.   

For a considerable number of people, that return to celestial balance signals the turning point toward significant physical, mental, and emotional challenges. If you're one of the estimated 25 million people negatively impacted by dwindling daylight hours,² try adding CBD to your wellness routine – a natural plant element linked to multiple aspects of health and well-being. Here's everything you need to know. 

Recognizing the Common Causes of Seasonal Mood Changes  

Research suggests that a considerable number of people sensitive to seasonal changes have symptoms that increase in severity the further they live from the equator. Most people adversely affected find their sleep difficulties, lingering fatigue, and overall outlook gradually improve during the transition from spring to summer.³ Although the exact cause is not entirely understood, experts believe there are several factors at play – influences illustrated by the following examples.   

Environmental Factors  

Most experts believe seasonal mood changes are caused by the impact of light and darkness on the body's natural circadian rhythms. Not only can too few daylight hours alter the timing of that internal master clock, a growing body of evidence also suggests cold temperatures trigger a hibernation-like response that decreases energy levels, increases food cravings, and makes socializing less appealing.⁴ 

Biological Factors  

Many people impacted by seasonal mood disruptions have systems that react to diminishing daylight exposure by producing less serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), or dopamine. GABA helps the central nervous system adapt to the shortening and lengthening of daylight hours, serotonin is a "feel-good" neurotransmitter essential to melatonin production, and dopamine helps modulate circadian rhythms and sleep cycles.⁵

Psychological Factors  

Current evidence suggests people diagnosed with mood disorders and other mental health concerns may have a higher than average risk of also developing seasonal mood changes. Although stress is not considered a direct cause, many people impacted by too little (or too much) sunlight experience anxiety-like symptoms that can include agitation, restlessness, sleeplessness, and difficulty concentrating.⁶

Treatment Options: How Experts Typically Manage Seasonal Symptoms  

Everyone feels down from time to time. But severe, recurring seasonal mood changes could be a sign of a treatable condition – a type of depression that can affect how you think, feel, and behave for months at a time. Winter-pattern spirals are more common than summer-pattern disruptions. Seasonal mood changes that occur in two or more consecutive years should be evaluated by your healthcare provider. Until then, you may find it helpful to browse the following treatment options. 

Light Therapy  

For winter-pattern mood changes, healthcare providers often recommend phototherapy – a daily at-home treatment that requires sitting near a UV-filtered light box for 30 minutes or more. Light therapy helps regulate natural circadian rhythms and boosts serotonin, dopamine, and melatonin production. Up to 60% of people find light therapy helpful, but eye strain, headaches, and poor sleep are possible.⁷

Supplements & Medication  

Sunlight exposure works with the cholesterol in your skin to make vitamin D – a nutrient essential for strong bones, immune system function, and emotional regulation. Many people living with severe seasonal mood changes benefit from vitamin D supplements, antidepressants, or anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) medications.⁸ Several studies suggest magnesium or melatonin supplements could also prove helpful.⁹

Lifestyle Modifications  

Lifestyle modifications can also go a long way toward easing symptom severity. Experts generally recommend replacing highly refined carbohydrates with whole grains, nuts, and seeds and sticking with a consistent sleep schedule to boost energy levels, practicing yoga or meditation to alleviate stress, and taking advantage of the uplifting effects of vigorous exercise at least five days per week.¹⁰ 

How CBD Could Help Elevate Your Mood & Restore Essential Balance  

Cannabidiol (CBD) – the most abundant of 113 cannabinoids in hemp flower extract – is a pleiotropic plant element that interacts with at least 65 molecular targets in the human body.¹¹ The cannabinoid activates serotonin and GABA system receptors and is also shown to increase dopamine production.¹² Although serotonin, dopamine, and GABA are crucial in numerous aspects of physical, mental, and emotional health, most researchers credit CBD's interaction with the ECS (endocannabinoid system) receptors for its impressive list of possible benefits for overall well-being. 

As the largest regulatory system in the human body, ECS signaling is involved in nearly every critical function – everything from moods and emotional regulation to stress responses and sleep cycle regulation. Experts believe supporting ECS function with CBD helps restore equilibrium when internal or external stressors threaten to disrupt essential balance (homeostasis).¹³   

How to Integrate CBD Into a Comprehensive Mood-Elevating Strategy  

According to the results of a 2019 CBDistillery® survey of 1,900 customers, most CBD users report positive results using our high-quality hemp-derived CBD products for relaxation, better sleep, pain and stiffness after physical activity, and mild or temporary anxiety. An impressive 89% tell us that CBD helps calm their minds, and 82% prefer the effects of CBD over meditation and yoga (79%) for stress relief. 

Most people draw on negative emotions when feeling defeated or depleted and meet daily challenges with far more optimism when their mood is light.¹⁴ If decreased sunlight exposure tends to drain your energy, sour your mood, disrupt your sleep, or increase your appetite, consider adding the mood-elevating potential of CBD into your daily routine. Although individual results can vary, most of our 1,900 survey respondents report achieving their best results within 7-14 days of consistent use. 

Start Your Day with CBD  

The key to making CBD part of a comprehensive strategy is consistency. The best way to ensure that consistency is to start your day with a CBD oil tincture stirred into your coffee, tea, or smoothie, or just hold a serving beneath your tongue for 45-60 seconds, then swallow. 

Keep the Effects Going Mid-Day  

Most people can expect the effects of their morning CBD to last 6-8 hours. When you want to keep the effects going strong, enjoy a second serving mid-day. If you'll be away from home, consider picking up a bottle of CBD gummies or CBD softgels. You'll get a consistent amount of CBD in a travel-friendly form.   

Support Meditation or Exercise    

If you prefer, you could wait on that second serving and time its administration to help calm your mind before meditation or to soothe your muscles before, during, or after exercise. With gummies and softgels, enjoy your edible about an hour before you plan to begin so the CBD has time to metabolize.   

Integrate CBD to Your Nightly Routine   

Deep, restorative sleep not only energizes your body, it's also essential for emotional regulation. If daylight reduction affects your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep, try integrating a serving of CBD into your nightly routine. It's non-habit forming and won't cause morning grogginess.   

Product Selection: What to Look for Before Committing to a Purchase  

It's easy to find CBD. It's sold just about everywhere. But whether you prefer shopping locally or ordering online, it's essential to know what to look for before committing to a purchase. The best products are made by companies investing in third-party batch testing through an independent lab. If you can't find a certificate of analysis (COA) while browsing a brand website, you'll want to shop elsewhere. 

You need that document to confirm the products you select have been screened for heavy metals, extraction residue, pesticides, and bacteria. Don't fall for misleading claims. Of the 75% of CBD brands labeling their products as third-party tested, only 13% batch test at least 90% of their products.¹⁵

Discover How CBD Could Help Manage Your Seasonal Mood Changes  

Most experts believe seasonal mood changes are caused by the impact of light and darkness on the body's natural circadian rhythms. Although CBD could help restore equilibrium, it's not ideal for everyone. The cannabinoid is not advisable for people with certain medical conditions and can interact with (or interfere with the absorption of) several supplements, over-the-counter treatments, and prescription medications. Consult a medical professional if you have questions or concerns. 

If you're intrigued by the option of using CBD to manage seasonal mood changes naturally but not quite sure where to begin, visit CBDistillery® to take our CBD Product Quiz or schedule a personal consultation. 

When you choose CBDistillery® CBD oil tinctures, topicals, softgels, and gummies, you can shop with confidence. Our hemp-derived products are rigorously tested, quality-assured, and stamped with a QR code linked to a downloadable certificate of analysis. When using any CBD product for the first time, we recommend starting with a partial serving. Then, increase the amount you're using gradually (if needed) in small increments to determine the precise amount of CBD you need to achieve the best results. 

Resources

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2. Bruce D. (2024) What to Know About Seasonal Depression. WebMD. 

3. Felman A. (2019) What to Know About Seasonal Affective Disorder. Medical News Today. 

4. Swaim E. (2022) Yes, Weather Can Affect Mood and Energy — and So Can Climate Change. Healthline. 

5. Grohol J, Arthur S. (2023) What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)? PsychCentral. 

6. Watson C, Baghdoya H, et al. (2010) Neuropharmacology of Sleep and Wakefulness. 5(4) Sleep Med Clin 513-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsmc.2010.08.003 

7. Patterson E. (2022) Should You Try Light Therapy for Seasonal Depression? GoodRx Health. 

8. Akpinar S, Karadeg M. (2022) Is Vitamin D Important in Anxiety or Depression? What Is the Truth? 11(4) Curr Nutr Rep 675-81. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-022-00441-0 

9. Ferguson S. (2023) What Vitamins Should You Take for Seasonal Depression? Healthline. 

10. Azad A. (2024) Five Ways to Address Seasonal Affective Disorder with Diet and Lifestyle. IIN. 

11. Elsaid S, Foll B. (2020) The Complexity of Pharmacology of Cannabidiol (CBD) and Its Implications in the Treatment of Brain Disorders. 45 Neuropsychopharmacol 229-30 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-019-0518-1 

12. How CBD Works: CBD and Neurotransmitters (2019) The CBD Insider. 

13. Sallaberry C, Astern L. (2018) The Endocannabinoid System, Our Universal Regulator. 34(6) JYI 48-55. https://www.jyi.org/2018-june/2018/6/1/the-endocannabinoid-system-our-universal-regulator 

14. Thagart P. (2018) What Are Moods? Psychology Today. 

15. Harrington A. (2021) 25% of CBD Products Are Not Tested for Purity. Forbes.