7 Tips to Deal With The Winter Blues

If you are like me, you might start feeling the winter blues, even though the temperature is still somewhat mild. You might start worrying about having to cope with the upcoming winter. For me, it’s not that I don’t like the fall. I just don’t like what follows:

• Feeling fatigued because of shorter days

• The gloomy weather

• The cold and the discomfort of being outside

• Not being able to go outside as much, and as a result, I am less active

Generally, I see a decline in my mood, motivation and productivity in September to November. There are days when I am less able to complete tasks, and am less interested in doing things that I normally enjoy. I sleep for longer hours. My appetite increases. My movement seems to slow down. The energy and positivity that are prominent in the summer months tend to go into hiding. 

Prior to understanding what’s behind all this, I frequently became frustrated with my mood change during this time of year. I used to beat myself up for not being able to accomplish what I had planned. I felt sad that my motivation and energy level declined, and that made me feel even more discouraged.

Now that I understand what’s behind this change, I am better able to be more patient with myself. It’s not that I’ve learned to love winter, but I definitely have learned to cope better. I also understand that this, like other seasons in the year, is going to eventually pass. 

Having the required tools under my belt definitely helps me feel more confident about combating the seasonal blues. These are the things that I’ve learned to focus on this time of year:

1) Be gentle with yourself:

The reason why I always emphasize the importance of self-compassion is because it does prevent further deterioration of our mood. Self-criticism seldom works, and the more you force yourself to do things, the less likely it is for you to actually complete those tasks. Yes, fear and stress sometimes motivate us to perform, but they lose their power overtime. They might just get your stuck in the vicious cycle of feeling guilty about not accomplishing enough, beating yourself up for it, and further lack of motivation.

Being kind to yourself involves understanding that your mood is changing because of the lack of daylight and the temperature drop. It involves understanding that this seasonal change of your mood is normal, and that you’re not alone in this. Being kind to yourself also involves telling yourself that it’s okay that you didn’t complete anything today, that although this is challenging, it will pass. Think about this: if someone you love is sick, will you force them to go to work? “It’s okay, stay home and take it easy today” is what you would tell them. Can’t you say the same to yourself?

Winter blues should be treated the same way as physical illnesses such as a flu or cold. Although the symptoms are less visible to others, they are present. In fact, our environment (e.g., gloominess, low temperature) does induce chemical changes in our brain. For instance, the lack of sunlight reduces the level of serotonin in our brain, and serotonin is responsible for boosting our mood and motivation.

2) Be more realistic when setting goals:

When setting goals for yourself, take external factors, such as temperature and number of daylight hours, into consideration. If you know that realistically it is difficult to accomplish the same number of tasks each day, aim for a lower number of tasks. You want to set yourself up for success, especially if you’re already struggling with loss of motivation. We are less likely to feel motivated if we don’t expect ourselves to succeed.

3) Allow more downtime:

Do you know what else drives our motivation? Feeling well rested.

Schedule more breaks throughout your day. Chronic darkness / gloominess is likely to lead to fatigue and grogginess, which is why sufficient sleep and rest is particularly crucial during the winter months. Feeling well-rested increases our productivity and motivation. Unless if you’re a night owl, it is difficult to feel energized when it is dark outside the majority of the day. Make sure that you allow your body and mind to rest regularly. Resting does not mean scrolling through social media or watching Netflix. Resting means allowing your mind to take a breather without further stimulation. Just close your eyes, and sit comfortably. Take a warm bath, light some candles. Practice mindful breathing or meditation. It is in the present that our mind is able to unwind, and to be free from worries about the past and future. 

4) Practice mindfulness and focus on the now:

As I observe the origin of my low mood, I realize that I’m not exactly feeling sad about the current weather – I’m feeling sad because of what’s about to come. When I look into the next few months, all I see is the cold and the darkness. But when I bring my attention back to the now, I realize that the sun is out and I’m still able to go out without my winter jacket. This is how we miss the positives that are directly in front of us.

Practicing mindfulness and learning to be in the present allow us to pull ourselves away from the looming future. We don’t know what the future will bring. What we know for sure is what’s happening right now. We have little control over what is about to happen, but we have 100% control over what’s going on right now and our reaction to it.

Click here if you’d like to read more about mindfulness.  

5) Try to stay active, as much as you can:

Environmental factors do affect the chemicals in our brain. Staying in the sun improves our mood, so does exercising and being active. Go for a walk when the weather permits, even if it means that you have to bundle up. Follow live online workout classes. Find a workout buddy. Hold each other accountable. You can both work out at the same time and still be able to socially distance. When you exercise, your body produces happy hormones such as dopamine.

6) Stay connected with friends:

Social connection (with the right people) is important, especially when you are feeling melancholic. Choose a close friend or family member that you trust, and see if you feel comfortable to share with them your struggles. Talking about your feelings allows you to unload some of the stress. Connection with others definitely helps us feel less alone and isolated.

7) Find things/ activities that you like about the fall and winter:

My last tip is to find something that you like about this time of year. Maybe it’s the fall colour, or pumpkin spice latte, or baking apple pies. Maybe you love wearing cozy sweaters and socks while sitting in front of a fireplace. Maybe you like the sounds the leaves make when you walk on them, or watching your child jump into a pile of leaves. Whatever it is, try to focus on these activities, instead of the gloominess or the cold. Pick something you like about each month. Plan something that you’d look forward to. Create an atmosphere at home that would maximize your level of comfort.

Daylight saving is also ending in a month, which is going to impact our biological clock. In this post I talk about ways to cope with the time change.

Shoot me a message if you are considering counselling. I offer a free telephone consultation to potential clients, which allows me to address any questions you may have about psychotherapy/ what it’s like to be working with me.