Spring Mood Shifts in Wisconsin: 5 Rhythm-Stabilizing Steps for Moms with Bipolar Disorder and Depression

Have you ever felt like your internal clock gets out of balance with the arrival of spring? If you live with mood challenges like depression and bipolar disorder, you may be sensing into a seasonal reality. The transition into spring can trigger mood disorders in those who are biologically vulnerable. Rather than feeling a sense of renewal that comes with the spring season, you may experience a system out of balance. Many people experience these patterns, and it is a common and manageable part of living with mood disorders. There are proven ways to navigate these changes and restore your sense of stability.

Understanding Fragile Circadian Rhythm

For many people managing mood disorders, the brain operates with what we call a fragile (I prefer the term delicate) circadian rhythm. Think of it like a highly attuned internal clock, sensitive to even the smallest shifts in time or light. The spring equinox brings rapid changes in outdoor lighting, and the time shift in March pushes morning light later into the day. For a brain that relies on early light to kickstart its morning, this delay can trigger depressive episodes. For a brain that relies on darkness to wind down, exposure to light at night leads to lighter, shorter sleep, which can trigger manic or hypomanic episodes. Sudden changes in sleep and wake times, as well as rapid changes in outdoor lighting, are ranked among the top mood destabilizers. ​

Actionable Steps to Stabilize Your Rhythm

While we can’t change mother nature or the impending time change in March, we can implement practical life skills to help balance our body's feedback loops impacted by these events.

1. Practice Brisk Awakenings

Morning grogginess can last up to four hours for someone with depression. To counter this, try a brisk awakening. This involves waking up at the same time daily (within 30 minutes), putting your feet on the floor within 15 minutes of waking up to pump adrenaline through your system, making your bed immediately to prevent crawling back under the covers, and engaging in an energizing activity (e.g. opening the curtains, making a cup of coffee or tea, take a shower). What is considered engaging can vary from person to person.

2. Use a Dawn Simulator

If waking up in the dark to an alarm clock is unpleasant, a dawn simulator may help. These are lights that gradually turn on over 30 minutes, mimicking a natural sunrise. It improves morning wakefulness and energy without the jarring shock of a standard alarm clock. If purchasing a dawn simulator is not within your budget, you can create a simple version at home using an inexpensive smart plug with a lamp you already use in your bedroom. Research shows that using a dawn simulator can ease symptoms of depression.

3. Implement an Evening Wind-Down

Create a buffer zone for your brain. Dim the lights at sundown and aim for an electronics-free environment at least 30 to 90 minutes before you want to be asleep. For people who tend to fall asleep quickly, a 30-minute buffer zone is sufficient. For those who have a more active mind, a 90-minute buffer zone may be needed. Create a bedtime routine and engage calming activities. What is considered calming can vary from person to person.

4. Explore Dark Therapy

Evening light has been linked to depression and bipolar disorder. When the sun sets, our melatonin production naturally increases, promoting drowsiness. The artificial light from lamps and screens at night can interfere with melatonin production in sensitive individuals. Because blue light has the most powerful impact on melatonin suppression, it is recommended to wear blue-light-filtering glasses as early as sunset and as late as 30 minutes before bedtime. Another recommendation is sleeping in total darkness. This can be done by hanging black out curtains on windows, wearing an eye mask while sleeping, and placing little pieces of black electrical tape over those tiny lights on electronic devices that go blink in the night.

5. Social Rhythm Therapy

Social Rhythm Therapy is an evidence-based therapy for treating mood disorders. One aspect of this therapy involves doing your core daily activities at the same time every day, give or take 30 minutes. This includes:

• Getting out of bed

• Starting work or chores

• Interacting with at least one person

• Eating dinner

  
  

By keeping these "anchor points" consistent, you provide your neurohormones with a predictable schedule, which stabilizes your mood over time.

If you find these seasonal shifts are pushing you toward a breaking point, please know that you don't have to navigate this alone. There is a compassionate space available for you to begin the process of stabilizing mood. 

This content is for educational purposes only and does not replace individualized mental health treatment. If you are experiencing ongoing mood disorder-related symptoms, I encourage you to seek support from a licensed mental health professional.

About the Author

Lena Harrison, LPC-IT, is a Wisconsin-based therapist specializing in trauma-informed care. She provides individual and group therapy for women navigating stress, trauma, mood concerns, addictions, and insomnia.

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