Seasonal Affective Disorder impacts mood as daylight fades — here’s how to fight it.

Seasonal depression, also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), often affects individuals during the late fall and winter months, particularly in northern regions. Symptoms can include feeling less sociable, increased sadness, irritability, and a tendency to revert to old habits or substance use. 

Experts recommend counteracting these effects by increasing exposure to natural light, even by simply opening curtains, and maintaining healthy routines similar to caring for a plant—ensuring adequate nutrients, water, and sunlight. Staying active and social is also highlighted as crucial for mood regulation, with activities such as fitness classes, sports, and social events helping to replenish essential mood-regulating chemicals.

Ways to manage seasonal depression this winter

Summertime sadness, winter woes, autumn blues, whatever you want to call it, it seems like the weather changing can have quite the impact on how we're doing and feeling. But why is that? We usually see it here in Montana in the northern hemisphere in the late fall and early winter, actually the whole winter, so late fall, winter months. Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a common experience for Montanans. People experiencing this tend to feel less sociable, sadder, and more irritable. I personally struggle with seasonal depression and right around the time that the sun starts to hide you can just almost feel it in the air. Rosie Kuska, a sober life coach and care coordinator, says that she notices how people are more likely to stay home, revert to old harmful habits, and struggle with substance abuse when the weather gets colder. I was like, oh my gosh, like I'm sad, I don't want to leave my house, and on top of that, like I like just really want to get high because that's what I'm used to doing. Fortunately, Rosie and many other people who struggle with this have learned various methods of fighting against the winter woes through community and activity. So the best way to combat this is to do basically the opposite of what is contributing. So if we don't have enough sunlight exposure, which is the case here, then we want to expose ourselves to sunlight. Although there may not be any sunlight during the winter months, opening the curtains to get any form of light inside will help as a lack of sunlight exposure contributes to the sadness and chemical imbalance our bodies feel during this period. Taking care of yourself like you would a plant, so making sure that you have nutrients, water, and sunlight is very important as well. Staying active and social is also incredibly important as it helps us replenish the serotonin and melatonin that regulates our mood. When there's less sunlight, there's less mood regulation. We do a fitness activity seven days a week. We have like Zumba, we have volleyball, basketball, we have something for literally everyone. Many Gray Falls residents find alternative means of staying social during the winter, whether it be working out, going to social events, or skiing and snowboarding. Staying proactive is essential to maintaining your health.

The U.S. military struck a fifth apparent Venezuelan boat allegedly carrying drugs, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media Tuesday. CBS News' Natalie Brand has more details.

Caracas

Trump says U.S. struck another alleged Venezuelan boat

News organizations including The New York Times, The Associated Press and Newsmax as well as ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and Fox News say they will not sign new press rules as laid out in a Defense Department document. This could mean the Trump administration will evict reporters from the Pentagon.

Washington

Major U.S. news media outlets refusing to sign new Pentagon rules

Madagascar’s president ousted in a military takeover — Youth-led protests and parliament’s impeachment vote spark political turmoil.

Antananarivo

Madagascar's military seizes power, president ousted

Thousands of messages shared in a group chat of Young Republicans are revealing some racist thoughts that even they worried about being leaked. The exchanges obtained by Politico are part of a Telegram chat among Young Republican leaders in New York, Kansas, Arizona and Vermont. Jason Beeferman, New York state politics reporter for Politico, joins with more.

Politico exposes racist messages sent by Young Republican leaders

The U.S. stock market rebounded on Monday (October 13) after President Trump appeared to walk back imposing new tariffs on Chinese goods.

Markets rebound after Trump softens tone on China tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump is heading back to the U.S. after his whirlwind trip to the Middle East, where he celebrated the first phase of a peace plan between Israel and Hamas.

Sharm El-Sheikh

Middle East Conflict

Trump, world leaders sign Gaza peace plan and discuss next steps

The government shutdown entered its third week on Monday as the Senate is set to reconvene on Tuesday. CBS News' Nikole Killion has more from Capitol Hill.

Shutdown drags into third week as Senate set to reconvene

U.S. President Donald Trump was greeted in Tel Aviv with cheers and a military ceremony as he met families of hostages held in Gaza and addressed Israel's parliament. He now travels to Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, to join world leaders in discussions on Gaza's future.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Trump meets with Israeli leaders and hostage families

Twenty living hostages were released by Hamas after more than two years in captivity as a ceasefire continues to hold. Families in Israel describe emotional reunions while others continue to await confirmation about missing relatives.

Families reunite as ceasefire brings hostages, prisoners home

Israeli officials have confirmed that all 20 living captives have been released in Gaza.

Israel confirms all 20 living captives in Gaza have been released

The carefully choreographed Israel-Hamas exchange is underway, with Israel set to release around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners following the release of remaining hostages held in Gaza. Noga Tarnopolsky reports from Tel Aviv’s Hostage Square.

Israel-Hamas swap begins as 2,000 Palestinian prisoners set for release

Following his visit to Israel, President Trump will stop in Egypt to co-host a major summit in Sharm el-Sheikh alongside Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. The meeting will bring together leaders from more than 20 countries to discuss efforts toward peace in Gaza and the wider Middle East.

Donald Trump to co-host chair Gaza peace summit in Egypt

The French presidency announced Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu's new cabinet line-up on Sunday (October 12), with most top jobs remaining unchanged at a time when opponents are demanding a political shift to win their support for urgent budget talks.

Paris

French presidency unveils new cabinet as budget pressure intensifies

Seven captives have been handed over to the Red Cross, who will facilitate their transfer to Israeli forces.

Israeli military says Red Cross has received 7 captives in Gaza

On his way to the Middle East, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters he expects the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to hold, despite concerns Hamas won’t abide by the deal.

Trump says the 'war is over', Gaza rebuild to start immediately

China on Sunday (October 12) called U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariffs on Chinese goods hypocritical and defended its curbs on exports of rare earth elements and equipment, but stopped short of imposing new levies on U.S. products.

Beijing

Global Tariffs

Beijing blames U.S. for trade tensions, defends rare earth curbs

Afghanistan and Pakistan said they killed dozens of each other's troops during a night of heavy border clashes between the two countries. Afghanistan's Taliban forces launched attacks on Pakistani troops along their shared border in what it called "retaliation for air strikes carried out by the Pakistani army on Kabul".

Chaman

Border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan leave dozens dead

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held in Gaza for a third day ahead of the expected release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and an address by U.S. President Donald Trump to Israel's parliament.

Ceasefire holds in Gaza ahead of hostage release, Trump visit

Zelenskyy called Trump for a second consecutive day to discuss defence and Ukraine's energy sector. It comes as Russia further intensifies its attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure ahead of its harsh winter.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy has second call with Trump amid Russian strikes

On Sunday, the minister of armed forces in Madagascar acknowledged an officer selected by a military group supporting demonstrators calling for President Andry Rajoelina to resign as the country's new army chief.

Madagascar’s president says coup underway

With a trade war between the U.S. and China intensifying ahead of a Nov. 1 tariff deadline, there’s growing concern Beijing will use Taiwan as a bargaining chip.

Taipei City

Growing fear China will use Taiwan to bargain with U.S.

In a televised address ahead of the planned release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for unity despite ongoing divisions.

Netanyahu urges Israel put aside ‘differences’ with Gaza

U.S. President Donald Trump blamed Democrats for his decision to lay off thousands of workers across the U.S. government as he followed through on his threat to cut the federal workforce during the government shutdown.

Trump lays off thousands of U.S. government workers amid shutdown

Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv as 48 of the last remaining hostages are expected home after two years of the Israel-Hamas war. The crowd cheered Donald Trump as the peace deal's broker but there were jeers for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Tel Aviv braces for hostage release planned for Monday

Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning star of Annie Hall and The Godfather films, died Saturday at the age of 79, according to U.S. media reports. Entertainment journalist Johanna Schneller remembers Keaton as 'feisty and funny'.

Hollywood

Oscar winner Diane Keaton dead at 79

Former President Biden is now receiving radiation and hormone therapy to treat his prostate cancer, an aide said. The cancer is considered aggressive.

Biden receiving radiation, hormone therapy to treat aggressive cancer

It is unclear how many people were inside the Tennessee plant that exploded on Friday, but at least 16 people were reported on Saturday. Sheriff Chris Davis announced that there are no survivors. Nicole Valdes reports.

Tennessee

No survivors in Tennessee plant explosion, sheriff says

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters in London marked two years since the War in Gaza. However, the British government has seen enough. Haley Ott reports that police have been given sweeping powers to curb repeated demonstrations.

London

British Parliament designates Palestine Action a terrorist organization

Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff has addressed hundreds of thousands of Israelis in what's known as “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv. Witkoff hailed President Donald Trump for securing the ceasefire. The crowd was less receptive to his praise for Benjamin Netanyahu.

U.S. envoy booed for praising Netanyahu at Tel Aviv rally

A ceasefire is in effect between Hamas and Israel after just over two years of war. An exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinians held prisoner is set to take place in the coming days, and U.S President Donald Trump is set to visit the region on Monday.

Breakdown