For employees affected by seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression triggered by the change in seasons, rolling the clocks back for the end of Daylight Saving can impact the way they feel and perform at work. But where they live can play a big factor.
Using metrics such as the average percentage of sunshine during the winter months and the search volume of the term "seasonal affective disorder" between October 2020 and February 2021, mental health clinic CertaPet gained an understanding of the best and worst states for individuals suffering from seasonal affective disorders.
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"There are things around how your brain functions and produces chemicals, such as melatonin and serotonin, that make people more vulnerable," says Paula Allen, a global leader of research and total well-being at LifeWorks, a human resources services and technology company. "But there are also those who are affected by the weather."
According to CertaPet's data, Hawaii was (unsurprisingly) named the state least susceptible to seasonal depression. The percentage of time between sunrise and sunset in the Aloha State, even during the winter months is 65% — which is significantly above the U.S. average, which is 49.3%.
Approaching the other end of the spectrum, Ohio came in second for states most susceptible to seasonal affective disorders. In Ohio, the search volume for the term "seasonal depression" scored the highest out of all 50 states.
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For employees in the most-susceptible states who may find themselves suffering from bouts of anxiety or depression, employers are well positioned to provide valuable support when it comes to mental health care, and to destigmatize these all-too-common experiences as the days get shorter, darker and colder. In the day-to-day, employers can take small steps to boost support and employee moods.
"In terms of the actual physical design of work, workplaces are going to be configured to maximize natural light," Allen says. "We used to have small little cubicles in offices in the center that were cut off, and nobody had any natural light. And that was not healthy."
See where every state ranks, according to CertaPet:
