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Portrait of stylish black couple at summer street cafe.

Source: Evgeniia Siiankovskaia / Getty

Summer is officially over. It’s time to switch out that summer wardrobe full of bikinis and crop tops with fall boots and jackets. As the seasons change, so do our moods. Fortunately, we have a list of the happiest states in America to get your through those gruesome, cold months.

The last day of summer is today, September 22, and it is also the first day people begin to experience symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). This is a mood disorder characterized by depression that occurs at the same time every year. It occurs most in climates where there is less sunlight at certain times of the year. Some symptoms you may notice are fatigue, depression, hopelessness and social withdrawal.

There are some treatments specialists recommend like light therapy, talk therapy and medications. One that we recommend is visiting a few of the happiest states in America. Wallethub performed a study, which drew upon the findings of “happiness” as it relates to a person’s environment and how it is directly linked to a their overall well-being and satisfaction with life. Their previous studies also found that good economic, emotional, physical and social health are all key to a well-balanced and fulfilled life.

Wallethub researched where Americans exhibited the best combination of these factors by examining the 50 states across 31 key metrics, ranging from the depression rate and the positive COVID-19 testing rate to income growth and the unemployment rate. The findings rank Utah in the number one spot for happiest state in America, followed by Minnesota, Hawaii, California and North Dakota.

If you are looking to escape the SAD season, consider visiting one of the happiest states in America to boost some of your endorphins. Check out Wallethub’s detailed list of the 2021 Happiest States in America here.