Gennady Onishchenko discusses factors behind worsening autumn mood

Gennady Onishchenko identified shorter daylight hours, colder weather and returning to work after a holiday as factors that may worsen mood in autumn. RIA Novosti published his comments on October 10, World Mental Health Day.

The Russian Academy of Sciences member and deputy president of the Russian Academy of Education described the shift from warm, sunny days to autumn weather alongside changes in daily routines. Returning to work after summer holidays can add stress, he said.

Onishchenko also said an increase in respiratory infections and flu may worsen people’s wellbeing and mood. He presented these circumstances as potential factors encountered during autumn.

The US National Institute of Mental Health describes seasonal affective disorder as a form of depression with a recurring seasonal pattern. Symptoms most often begin in late autumn or early winter and ease in spring and summer.

NIH materials discuss shorter daylight hours in relation to changes in sleep, mood and behaviour. Feeling sad during the darker months does not by itself establish that someone has a depressive disorder.