Turning SAD Into Glad: Coping with Seasonal Affective Disorder and Cancer Through Hope and Humor
Deb Krier joins host Dr. Brad Miller on this episode of “Cancer and Comedy”, a show devoted to helping cancer-impacted people heal through hope and humor — what they call turning the grim into a grin.
Deb is the co-host of Cancer and Comedy, a community for “lifter uppers” — people facing cancer or other serious adversity who refuse to be dragged into a dark spiral and instead choose to seek joy, connection, and laughter in the midst of difficult diagnoses.
In this episode, Deb and Dr. Brad dive into the often-overlooked topic of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and its powerful correlation with cancer and other major life challenges.
Deb shares her long-term awareness of SAD, including a vivid story about working in a top-secret government facility with no windows, where employees became increasingly irritable and depressed during the winter months. That experience led to practical interventions, like mandatory time outdoors and installing special lights that mimic sunlight.
Dr. Brad explains that SAD is not “just the winter blues,” but a clinically recognized disorder in the DSM-5, with symptoms such as low mood, fatigue, oversleeping, carbohydrate cravings, social withdrawal, and difficulty concentrating. He highlights how, when stacked on top of cancer, SAD can form a “brutal tag team” of depression, fatigue, and anxiety that can be devastating if left unaddressed.
Together, Deb and Dr. Brad unpack practical coping strategies for people dealing with SAD, especially those also facing cancer:
· Light & Environment:
· Use light therapy or special bulbs designed for SAD.
· Open curtains and blinds, even if you’re bedridden, to let natural light in.
· Sit near windows or spend a few minutes outdoors daily, even in the cold.
· Vitamin D & Medical Support:
· Ask your medical team to check your vitamin D levels in routine blood work.
· Discuss supplements with your doctor, especially if you’re in treatment.
· Be honest with your care team about mood changes; SAD and depression are serious and treatable, not personal failures.
· Movement & Routine:
· Maintain consistent sleep patterns from season to season.
· Incorporate gentle movement: walking indoors, climbing stairs, or simply standing and stretching.
· Use TV commercial breaks as built-in reminders to get up and move.
· Aim for small, realistic goals: if you can’t walk two miles, walk to the end of the block or around the room.
· Community, Support & a “Winter Toolkit”:
· Create a personal “winter toolkit” that might include scheduled phone calls or video chats with friends, light-therapy time, daily movement, and participation in support groups or counseling.
· Recognize that isolation—especially common in winter and during cancer treatment—can intensify SAD, and plan proactively to stay connected.
Deb and Dr. Brad also touch on “summer pattern SAD”, where people feel depressed or anxious during summer months—often triggered by body image concerns or the inability to participate in warm-weather activities they once enjoyed. They encourage listeners to avoid “all or nothing” thinking and instead celebrate what they can do, even if it’s less than before.
Throughout the conversation, they return to the core themes of laughter, gratitude, and intentionality. Laughter—whether through funny TV shows, conversations with friends, or shared “bad dad jokes”—is presented not as a shallow distraction but as a powerful, healing practice that lifts mood and reminds people they are more than their diagnosis or their season.
This episode of Cancer and Comedy is a must-listen for anyone with cancer—or caring for someone with cancer—who struggles more in the darker months, feels the weight of isolation, or wonders why their mood crashes with the seasons. Deb and Dr. Brad offer a compassionate, faith-informed, and highly practical roadmap to move from sad to glad, and from grim to grin, without denying the real pain and challenges involved.
“Cancer and Comedy with Dr. Brad Miller and Deb Krier” is published regularly with the mission of helping people cope with hope and humor, building a community where no one has to face cancer—or seasonal darkness—alone. Listeners are invited to join the community at cancerandcomedy.com/follow to stay connected, encouraged, and uplifted.
References:
Dr. Brad Miller
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/robertbradleymiller
Website: cancerandcomedy.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CancerandComedy
Deb Krier
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/deborahkrier
Website: https://debkrier.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedebkrier
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBusinessPowerHour
