The Most Depressing City In America During Winter, According To Studies

Choosing a holiday destination this winter? How about a visit to the "most depressing city in America"?

Anchorage, Alaska gets the least sunshine of any major U.S. city, according to a study by financial technology company, SmartAsset. The study suggests those with Seasonal Affective Disorder, a form of depression that can be triggered by changes in sunlight, may want to stay clear of Alaska's biggest city. "Days in late December and early January last for fewer than six hours. Day length doesn't reach eight hours until February," Freelance Journalist Nick Wallace wrote for SmartAsset. "Even when the sun is out, you may not be able to see it: Anchorage receives just 34% of the possible direct sunlight in the months of November, December, January, and February." 

Medical studies have discovered a direct relationship between sunlight and the release of serotonin, a hormone and neurotransmitter that can lift your mood and make you feel more emotionally stable. Without bright sunlight, our bodies don't produce as much serotonin, leading to Seasonal Affective Disorder. Studies estimate that about 10% of Alaskans are affected by the condition. 

Does little sun necessarily mean less fun? The city of 350,000 is home to roughly 40% of Alaska's population. If anyone knows how to shake the winter blues, surely it's someone who chooses to make Anchorage their home.

The key to combatting the winter blues is light exposure and exercise, says Headlight, a mental health services provider in Alaska. That means grabbing whatever sunlight you can during the day or bathing yourself in lamplight. One light-therapy treatment procedure is to use a lamp of about 10,000 lux (the standard measure of brightness) for 30 minutes each day, ideally in the morning. Medical experts also recommend an active routine, even in sub-zero temperatures.

Fortunately, Anchorage has plenty of options to get you out. The city's big winter event is the Fur Rendezvous Fair — known by locals as the Fur Rondy — and the world-famous Iditarod sled-dog race that follows. Traditionally, the Fur Rondy marked the time when fur traders traveled to Anchorage to trade their pelts. Today, it's a city-wide, 12-day celebration held every February. Also in February is The Alaska State Snow Sculpture Championship, a special highlight when sculptures carve dragons and bears out of compressed blocks of snow.

Then, the Iditarod race begins. It stretches from Anchorage to Nome across 1,000 miles. Mushers navigate sleds drawn by Alaskan huskies and other dog breeds. Dozens of teams compete each year in an incredible feat that pays homage to Alaska's sled-dog culture and the historic Iditarod trail. For more on Alaskan heritage and indigenous culture, the Anchorage Museum's Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center is a great place to start. More than 600 Alaska Native cultural heritage pieces are housed here for study.

Anchorage has winter sports covered. When the ice is at least 12 inches thick, the city opens Westchester Lagoon and other city lakes for skating. It also keeps dozens of trails in Kincaid Park groomed for cross-country skiing. Keep an eye out for moose that live in the park, but give these large creatures a wide berth, especially toward the end of winter. They get cranky as they run low on food.

If the winter blues make you hangry too, Anchorage's own Moose's Tooth has some of the best pizza in the country — reaching No. 3 in nationwide pizza rankings in 2015. Anchorage also has a buzzing brew scene. It's not the craft beer capital of America, yet — that honor goes to Denver, Colorado. But you can head to Anchorage Brewing and sample brews from dozens of microbreweries in the city. Craving hot chocolate instead? Perhaps it's no accident that Anchorage is also home to the world's largest chocolate waterfall.

Last but not least, one of the perks of winter dark is viewing the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. Check the aurora forecast for real-time data, then head to a good viewing point. Turnagain Arm is a popular spot, or head to Hatcher Pass for that Instagram-perfect view. If you still can't get enough, board a train to Fairbanks and hop off at the Chena Hot Springs Resort for the full Alaska experience: Viewing the Northern Lights from thermal hot springs. Then ask yourself, "Why anyone would call Anchorage "the most depressing city in America?"