Burnout vs. Seasonal Affective Disorder: Why We Keep Getting It Wrong

Every winter, the same conversation resurfaces: shorter days, darker mornings, lower energy. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) gets its moment in the headlines. And without fail, people start to confuse SAD with burnout.

It’s not the same thing.

And when we confuse them, we miss what’s really happening, and we risk giving people the wrong support.

Why the Confusion Happens.

SAD and burnout share some overlapping signs:
- Low mood
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Changes in sleep and appetite

So on the surface, it’s easy to see why people mix them up. Both leave you feeling drained. Both make daily life harder. Both can derail work and relationships.

But the difference is that SAD is seasonal. Burnout is systemic.

Seasonal Affective Disorder: The Pattern.

SAD is a recognised type of depression linked to changes in daylight. It often appears in autumn and winter, when sunlight is scarce, and lifts in spring and summer.

It’s biological.

The lack of natural light disrupts circadian rhythms, serotonin levels, and melatonin production. The symptoms are cyclical, and many people find relief with treatments like light therapy, vitamin D, and lifestyle adjustments.

SAD doesn’t mean your workplace is toxic. It doesn’t mean you’ve lost your sense of self. It means your body and brain are reacting to seasonal changes.

Burnout: A Different Beast.

Burnout, on the other hand, doesn’t disappear when the days get longer. It doesn’t lift when spring arrives. Burnout is the result of sustained, systemic pressure. It’s cultural, relational, and deeply connected to identity.

Burnout shows up when:
- Workplaces are toxic.
- Leaders demand compliance over authenticity.
- People feel they have to mask or perform just to survive.
- Identity and sense of self are eroded by systems that don’t allow people to be who they are.

Where SAD follows the seasons, burnout follows the system.

Why It Matters Not to Confuse Them.

When burnout gets dismissed as “just SAD,” we make two mistakes:
1. We trivialise the real systemic drivers. Leaders shrug and say “everyone feels tired this time of year,” instead of addressing the culture that’s exhausting people year-round.
2. We give the wrong support. Telling someone at burnout to buy a daylight lamp isn’t just unhelpful - it’s harmful. It sends the message that the problem is theirs to fix, not the environment’s to change.

And when SAD gets confused with burnout, people with seasonal depression risk being overlooked because workplaces assume it’s “just stress.” Both deserve proper recognition, but for different reasons.

Awareness Creates Change.

For leaders, HR, and coaches, the distinction matters. Awareness isn’t just semantics, it’s the difference between helping and harming.

- If it’s SAD, support people with flexibility, light exposure, and compassion for the seasonal struggle.
- If it’s burnout, tackle the culture, the workload, and the loss of self that’s driving people into collapse.

Both require empathy.

Both require action.

But the actions aren’t the same.

Burnout isn’t seasonal. It’s systemic. And until we stop confusing it with SAD, we’ll keep missing the warning signs - and the chance to change the systems that keep people reaching burnout.

Kelly

I’m daring to imagine a world where Burnout no longer exists, and if you’re daring to imagine a world like that too, then come and join me.
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