Who’s most at risk of SAD—and how to beat it

Winter can bring a suite of maladies: runny noses, itchy sweaters, a fluke skiing accident. But for some, the worst is Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, a depression that sets in as the days grow shorter.

SAD is estimated to affect 5% of the U.S. adult population—and Lyft data would seem to confirm that. Riders are less likely to use positive words when reviewing their drivers during winter months, particularly in February, the month when SAD symptoms tend to peak in the U.S

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Who’s Most Likely to Get SAD?

So, are you at risk? Depends on where you live. Unsurprisingly, riders in Miami and Los Angeles don’t see much of a dip in sentiment throughout the cold months, while New York City’s sentiment drops by nearly 5% in February and March. Those in the Northeast seem particularly vulnerable, with riders in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Newark, New Jersey, and Hartford, Connecticut, among those seeing the biggest drops.

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How Sunlight and Temperature Influence SAD

That makes sense since lack of sunlight is one of the major causes of SAD. “We rely on sunlight to regulate our natural circadian rhythm and to help regulate the release of important chemicals in our brain,” says Clifton Berwise, a clinical psychologist with Modern Health. Lack of sunlight can mean lower levels of serotonin, which regulates symptoms of depression, and higher levels of melatonin, which can make us feel sleepy. An analysis between a city’s weather and the positivity of their driver feedback found that riders who get even 30 more minutes of daylight in February—like those in Jacksonville and Austin—are less susceptible to SAD.

But you also might be more vulnerable depending on when you get your sunlight. In particular, later sunsets correlate to better moods, even if the overall amount of sunlight is the same over the course of the day. For instance, while Indianapolis and Philadelphia both get a minimum of 8.75 hours of light in February, the sentiment holds stable in Indianapolis—where the sun sets around 6:30 p.m.––but drops 3% in Philadelphia, where the sun sets before 5:55.

Temperature also makes a difference. This analysis suggests that SAD seems to hit hardest in cities that plunge below 40 degrees in February.

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What can you do to treat SAD?

With the months of February and March quickly approaching, how can you stave off the winter blues?

According to Lyft data, the answer is clear: Go on vacation! Riders going to the airport experience a 5% boost in sentiment. Sentiment is 4% higher for riders going to a resort. If that’s not in the cards, Lyft data suggests boosting your mood by going to a friend’s house or a park. 

Dr. Berwise agrees that getting outside your home is key. “Outdoor light is significantly brighter than indoor light,” he says, “and exposure to UV will help regulate your body’s circadian rhythm and boost your mood.”

Or, of course, you could go get some food—another destination that correlates with improved sentiment. Even if you’re SAD, you don’t have to be hangry.

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Methodology:

Rider feedback for drivers was pulled from November 2022 through November 2024, for 58 regions in Lyft data. Sentiment is calculated as the share of “positive” words over the share of all words with sentiment in the Bing sentiment dictionaries.

This story was produced by Lyft and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.