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The field lights turn on earlier at my son’s soccer practice. The egret at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center is at the pond, but when I leave, the bird flies off to find a place to rest for the night. I walk faster now on the trails, trying to catch as much sunlight as I can before the park goes dark.

In autumn and winter, when the days get shorter and the sunlight lessens, it’s easy to get depressed, and I’ve started to feel some sadness in the evenings. During the winter months, walking outside is important to me because it rejuvenates me and helps me connect to my inner self. Being outside also helps me stay upbeat, even when everything feels like it's wilting.

I'm not alone in feeling this way. Medical professionals call it seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, which is characterized by depressive symptoms that typically occur during specific seasons, said Dr. Luming Li, chief medical officer at the Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD. Symptoms include oversleeping, overeating, weight gain and social withdrawal.

“SAD is more common in women than in men and is more common in those living in the Northern Hemisphere,” Li said in an email.

The risk of seasonal affective disorder increases if you live far north or south of the equator, where there are fewer daylight hours during the winter months.

Dr. George Santos, a psychiatrist in Houston and past president of the Harris County Medical Society, said that SAD tends to occur mostly in adults between the ages of 18 to 30.

I’m over that age range, but definitely feel anxious and some sorrow when the sky gets darker earlier. I was curious when a mood swing is normal versus severe in relation to seasonal depression.

Santos explained that around this time of year, some people may experience a range of moods that can become severe once it starts to impact their ability to function at home, school or work.

“Sometimes they are listless, unmotivated and withdrawn,” Santos said. “Sometimes they find themselves feeling forgetful and unable to make decisions. In worst cases, their sense of helplessness can reach the level of thinking about death or even suicide.”

When patients have depression with a seasonal pattern, Santons said, it may be related to more than one thing, such as less exposure to light, less engagement in other activities or the stress of the holidays.

The shorter days bring a sense of nostalgia for me. I’m reminded of the last time I saw my father over Thanksgiving a few months before he died. I also signed my divorce papers in the fall. The stress and trauma from these two experiences still lingers with the shift in my internal biological clock.

January and February are the worst for me. It's the gray area when I’m recovering from the holiday whirlwind and heavy expenses that come with it, and the wildflowers haven’t yet revived. The gloom makes me want to stay in bed. I’m not alone.

Last February, 37 percent of adults in Texas reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder, compared to 32 percent of adults in the U.S., according to The Kaiser Family Foundation.

I asked Dr. Lokesh Shahani, an assistant professor of psychiatry and chief medical officer at the UTHealth Houston Behavioral Sciences Campus, to provide insight about mental health concerns in the region during the fall and winter.

“We actively track the number of people requiring hospitalization at the UTHealth Houston Behavioral Science Campus on a daily basis. Over the years, we have seen a drop in these numbers just prior to and during the holidays; however, [we see] a drastic increase in the weeks right after the holidays,” Lokesh said in an email.

Lokesh said people tend to overlook their mental health during the holidays and at times increase alcohol and illicit drug use, resulting in an increase in psychiatric hospitalizations right after the holidays.

A long walk has been my form of therapy to boost my mental health, but I worry for those who may need access to other mental health care. In Texas, more than 15 million people live in areas that have a shortage of professional mental health services, with only 33 percent of the need being met.

Why does sunlight impact mental health?

Dr. Leslie H. Secrest, a psychiatrist in Dallas, explained to me how our eyes and brain work together and why less daylight can lead to depression. It has to do with a group of light receptors called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells. These cells drive the pupillary reflex that governs how much light is allowed into our eyes and connects to areas of the brain that changes the circadian rhythm and affects the habenula, which influences mood and learning.

Less sunlight can be linked to a chemical change in the brain. When it’s dark, more melatonin, a sleep-related hormone, is produced, which can cause people to feel sleepy and sluggish.

Both Secrest and Santos recommended that those who work during the day get exposure to light by working near windows and scheduling time throughout the day to go outside, perhaps at lunch time.

An area of mental health that can be overlooked is the importance of time spent with others, said Secrest. Also, Santos stressed the importance for families to plan regular fall and winter activities, especially on weekends. Time spent outside can particularly help a child's mental health, according to medical professionals.

Despite Texas being one of the top 10 sunniest states, 17 percent of young people are experiencing a rise in depressive episodes, higher than the U.S. average, according to Understanding Houston, an initiative led by the Greater Houston Community Foundation. Recent data by the National Alliance on Mental Illness shows that over 300,000 Texans aged 12 to 17 have depression.

Treatments can help depression and the feeling of “winter blues”

Typical treatments include light therapy, psychotherapy, antidepressant medications and vitamin D, Li said.

“Ways to try to prevent symptoms may include getting a light box, as well as getting evaluated when symptoms occur or recur,” Li said.

I raise my eyebrow when I imagine a light box, which is a light therapy used to reset your circadian rhythm. I’m not completely sure light therapy is something I want, but I find myself more often petting Luna, the 8-week-old kitten I adopted as my daughter’s early birthday gift. As a divorced mom sharing time with my kids, I pet Luna most often when the apartment is too quiet — especially at times when I dip into sadness — when my time at the park is cut short.

I’ve learned that having something to look forward to boosts my mood especially during the winter months, even if it’s just trying out a chili recipe, making cookies while playing upbeat music, or reading a book that brings good thoughts.

I know I’m due for a dinner out with friends. I might book some nosebleed seats at a Rockets game for my kids or some balcony-level tickets for a symphony performance date night to revitalize the soul. It's been a while since I’ve walked the galleries at the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. I know the beauty and bright colors on the paintings will help carry me through and bring some light to the darker days.

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