Seasonal Affective Disorder Hotspots

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression which intensifies during particular parts of the year. But while people can experience SAD in any season, it’s most often referred to as “winter depression”, as most patients feel their symptoms worsen during the colder months – and it’s not hard to see why.

Be it lower temperatures to earlier nights, winter has a habit of making us all feel a little down every once in a while.

Some areas, however, are affected by SAD more than others, which is why the health insurance comparison website iSelect has investigated the winter weather conditions of various locations in the US, UK, and Australia to find where is the most prone to SAD symptoms.

From the average daily hours of sunlight to the average humidity levels, we’ve researched a range of factors to score each area from 0 to 100, with 100 being the worst-impacted. Here’s what we discovered from our findings.

The five worst-affected US cities by Seasonal Affective Disorder

Given how the weather influences our mood, it comes as little surprise that many of the highest-ranking cities in our US SAD index are in the north of the country, as the south traditionally experiences warmer and brighter winters.

Here are the five areas that scored the highest on our list:

1. Anchorage, AK

As the northernmost state in the US, Alaska can be cold and dark at the best of times, but the winter season only worsens its conditions. In Anchorage, the sun only rises for an average of 5.6 hours per day in the winter, while the average temperature is around 26.6°F (-3°C),  more than 10°F colder than the next-coldest state, Maine!

Alaska is also one of the driest states in winter, averaging just 1.9 inches of rain per month, although typical afternoon humidity levels are around 64%. Overall, it scores 83.81 out of 100 on our index, making it a hotbed for SAD in America.

2. Syracuse, NY

While not as extreme as Alaska, New York is known for its freezing winters. NYC sees a massive increase in tourists over the Christmas season, but further upstate near the border with Canada, Syracuse experiences high levels of SAD due to short days and a cold climate.

With an average temperature of 45.4°F (7.4°C) and a typical winter day receiving only 5.8 hours of sunlight, the colder months can be a challenging time in the city. It also ranks among the cities that experience the fewest clear days each month in winter, averaging just 5.3. These factors combine to give Syracuse a score of 81.47.

3. Seattle, WA

Continuing the trend of America’s northernmost cities having the worst environments for SAD, Seattle places third on our list. It ties with Burlington, VT, as the city with the fewest clear days each month on average in winter (4.8). Plus, with just 5.9 hours of sunlight and receiving around only 47% sunshine between dawn and dusk, it’s one of the darkest cities in the US during winter.

On top of this, it’s 3.2 average inches of rainfall in winter also contributes to its high placement on our list, as Seattle scores 80.27 out of 100 on our rankings.

4. Burlington, VT

As previously mentioned, Burlington is tied with Seattle as the city with the fewest clear days on average in winter (4.8). It also experiences the most rain of any city in our top five, with an average of 3.6 inches per month, and a typical day sees only 6.3 hours of sun.

Like many other cities in our top 5, it’s also one of the coldest places in the US during winter, with an average temperature of 42.9°F (6.05°C). One of Burlington’s relative strengths, however, is that it has the least humid afternoons of any city in our top five (58%). Still, this isn’t enough to overturn its high score of 77.82 out of 100.

5. Lansing, MI

Rounding out our top five is Lansing, MI. With average temperatures of 44.4°F (6.9°C) and just 6.6 hours of sunlight on average in winter, it fits the bill for all the leading contributors to SAD. It also has the most humid mornings of any city at the top of our list, at 84%.

With a final score of 75.07, it beats close competition from Columbus, OH (74.08) and Portland, OR (73.88) to finish our rankings of US cities.

The five worst-affected UK towns and cities by Seasonal Affective Disorder

Sadly, Scotland dominates the rankings of our UK cities affected by SAD, as it’s home to all of the top five towns and cities in our index. These are the places up north with the worst conditions for people living with Seasonal Affective Disorder:

1. Lerwick

It’s no wonder that Lerwick, the most northerly settlement in all of the UK, tops our list of the areas worst affected by SAD. Located on the remote Shetland Islands, Lerwick is the coldest town on our list, with an average winter high of just 6.75 °C.

It’s also the rainiest area on our list, experiencing 21.5 days of showers each month between December and February, when it also only receives an average of 36 monthly hours of sunlight. These add up to give it a massive score of 96.36 out of 100.

2. Stornoway 

Another remote Scottish island town, Stornoway, takes second place on our UK SAD rankings with a score of 79.18. Stornoway is located on the Outer Hebrides, where it experiences an average of 20.25 rainy days per month in winter.

However, winter lovers will be thrilled to learn it also averages around 5.15 inches of snow per month during the same time span. Still, its rough winter conditions earn it a score of 79.18 on our SAD index.

3. Kirkwall

Continuing our theme of Scottish island settlements is Kirkwall, which is the largest town on the Orkney Islands. Its average of 42 hours of sunlight each month in winter makes it one of the UK’s darkest towns, but it’s also one of the rainiest, with a typical winter month seeing 19.75 days of showers.

During the cold season, the average daily temperature ranges from 7.5°C at its highest to 3°C at its lowest. These combine to give Kirkwall a score of 78.88.

4. Glasgow

Glasgow may be one of the UK’s biggest cities, but that doesn’t stop it from finding a place in our top five worst-affected areas by SAD. With just 48.5 average hours of sunlight each month in winter, and 5.475 monthly inches of snow, its bleak winters are brutal for anyone battling seasonal depression.

It finishes in fourth on our list with a score of 75.59 out of 100.

5. Tiree

Finishing our top five is Tiree, a small town in the Inner Hebrides. During the summer, it’s a popular windsurfing destination, but things take a turn later in the year, with an average of 20 rainy days each month and 48.25 hours of daily sunlight.

These add up to give it a score of 69.23 out of 100, beating Dumfries (65.27) and Prestwick (60.62) for a place in the top five.

The five worst-affected Australian towns and cities by Seasonal Affective Disorder

Lastly, let’s take a look at which cities and towns in Australia are the biggest hit by Seasonal Affective Disorder. Slightly milder than winters over in Europe and the States, Aussies in these towns and cities nevertheless get SAD just as bad as everyone else:

1. Ballarat, VIC

With a total score of 85.85, Ballarat has the worst conditions for SAD sufferers in all of Australia. It’s the coldest city in our data, with average winter highs of just 11.3°C, and it also experiences an average of just 3.3 sunny days over the season, compared to 12.7 rainy days.

During the mornings, Ballarat also typically reaches an average humidity of 91.7%, which is the highest in Australia by a huge margin.

2. Melbourne, VIC

It’s the second most populous city in Australia, but Melbourne is also the second-worst affected by seasonal depression due to its high winds and cloudy, cold conditions.

During winter, the average wind speed is 14 mph, which ties with Ballarat as the second strongest in Australia. It also experiences 16.7 cloudy days on average each month during the colder months, with just three sunny days by comparison. These total together for a combined score of 75.32 out of 100.

3. Launceston, TAS

Heading away from the mainland, Launceston ranks at #3 on our Australian SAD index. Its overall score of 72.94 out of 100 is primarily due to high rainfall, with an average of three inches across 9.7 rainy days per month. Compared to just four sunny days each month and an average morning humidity of 90%, the climate is poorly suited for those who deal with seasonal depression.

4. Newcastle, NSW

New South Wales’ second-largest city, Newcastle, boasts the strongest winter winds in all of Australia. On average, it experiences gusts of 17.3 mph during winter afternoons, with a mean of 10.3 cloudy days each month. These contribute to its position as the fourth-worst city in the country for SAD conditions, with a score of 69.86.

5. Hobart, TAS

Finally, with a score of 68.70, it’s Hobart that closes our top five. Averaging 14 cloudy days a month during winter, compared to just four sunny days, it’s one of the darkest cities in the country when the days get shorter. Plus, with average lows of 5.7°C, it’s one of the coldest Australian cities during winter as well..