Is It the Winter Blues or Perimenopause? How to Tell the Difference

The shorter, darker days of winter leave many people feeling irritable and sluggish. But for women in the throes of perimenopause, living through long months of less sunshine can be especially grueling.  

If you find yourself wondering whether your low mood and fatigue are a product of the annual seasonal gloom — or the inescapable “change of life” called menopause — our expert team at North Atlanta Ob/Gyn can help. 

Let’s take a closer look at the difference between the mood effects of perimenopause, and those of the winter blues, also known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).  

A similar set of mental effects 

It’s not easy to tell the difference between mood and energy changes brought on by the winter blues and those triggered by declining estrogen levels. Why? Because both can cause a similar set of mental and emotional effects, including: 

• Low energy and easy fatigue
• Increased sadness or irritability 
• Feeling generally low or down
• Sleeping too little or too much 
• Reduced appetite or overeating 
• Disinterest in social interaction

Both the winter blues and perimenopause can lead to feelings of overwhelm, a lack of motivation, and a desire to disengage. Difficulty focusing, absorbing information, and making decisions can make routine daily tasks feel harder to tackle, as well. 

Understanding the winter blues 

The so-called winter blues are the least intense form of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also known as seasonal depression. This mild but noticeable dip in mood and energy levels is directly related to the onset of winter, with its shorter, darker days and lack of sunshine. The mechanisms involved include:

Internal clock confusion

Shorter days with less sunlight can confuse your body’s internal clock, interfering with hormone regulation and disrupting your natural sleep-wake cycle. 

Increased melatonin

Melatonin, the body’s sleep hormone, is released by the brain in response to nightfall, and largely “shut off” by daylight. During the short, dark days of winter, your “melatonin drip” is activated earlier and stays on longer, leaving you perpetually tired.

Brain chemical changes 

Sunlight exposure plays a crucial role in the brain’s production and regulation of serotonin and dopamine, two key neurotransmitters involved in mood, motivation, and focus. 

Decreased vitamin D

Serotonin also gets a boost from vitamin D, most of which is produced in the body through contact with sunlight. Less sunlight in the winter often means lower vitamin D levels — and diminished serotonin. 

Lack of focus and energy

Less daylight, coupled with sleep issues and low neurotransmitter levels, can set the stage for concentration difficulties and overwhelming feelings of fatigue and sluggishness.

Mood effects of perimenopause

The mood and energy changes of perimenopause, on the other hand, are largely driven by declining female reproductive hormones (i.e., estrogen and progesterone) in the years-long leadup to menopause — or the official end of female menstruation and fertility.

The same sex hormones that control your menstrual cycle also help regulate your mood. Dwindling estrogen levels can lower your brain’s output of feel-good neurotransmitters and make you more sensitive to stress; falling progesterone levels can trigger irritability, mood swings, and anxiety. 

Perimenopause also typically occurs in middle age, a time when many women have kids at home, aging parents, ongoing career pressure, and emerging health issues. These stresses can amplify the mood effects of hormonal changes, triggering or worsening depression. 

Are you affected by one or both? 

Seasonal depression and low mood in perimenopause are set apart by their triggering factors. But how do you know if you’re being affected by shorter, darker days or declining hormone levels? Could you possibly be dealing with both?  

Timing and duration

The winter blues set in when days get shorter and darker — and typically resolve once spring arrives, with its longer days and increased sunshine. Seasonal depression is often a recurring annual problem for those who are susceptible to it. 

Perimenopause onset is completely internal, and can happen at any time of year. Some women are in perimenopause for a short time, while others are in it for many years. 

While mood-related symptoms can be treated with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BioTE), antidepressants, and talk therapy, they tend to resolve once menopause arrives.    

Symptom differences

Hormone-driven mood changes are typically accompanied by other perimenopausal symptoms, like irregular periods, hot flashes, low libido, vaginal dryness, a sluggish metabolism, and weight gain. 

SAD, which can also be associated with weight gain, is more likely to cause intense cravings for comfort foods, like carb-rich meals and sugary treats. 

Co-occurring effects

Perimenopausal mood challenges can also be intensified by shorter days: Your low mood, fatigue, sleep difficulties, and lack of motivation may be brought on by changing hormones — and heightened by seasonal changes.     

Is perimenopause bringing you down — especially now that the days are darker? We can help. Schedule a visit at your nearest North Atlanta Ob/Gyn office in Atlanta, Alpharetta, or Marietta, Georgia, today.