And where it comes from

All tough? What really helps against the “winter blues”

Tired, listless, sad: the lack of light during the cold months also affects our hormone balance.(Bild: sebra - stock.adobe.com)

The days are getting shorter, there is significantly less sun, and the mood is changing, with many people experiencing the "winter blues." Not even getting enough sleep helps those affected overcome fatigue and other symptoms. But what can help? We asked the expert!

Fatigue, lack of energy and motivation, and a certain sadness can take hold during the cold months – and be signs of the so-called "winter blues": a condition in which people increasingly withdraw, are less socially active, and often lose themselves in brooding, says psychiatrist Elisabeth Harmankaya. "It's a phase in which people fall into a certain melancholy due to the darkness and the approaching end of the year," she says.