Four Ways to Beat the Blues this Winter

Shorter Days and Lower Moods: How Seasonal Changes Impact How We Feel and Four Ways You Can Combat the Blues this Winter by Danielle Palmer

Every year, as the seasons change and the days get shorter, it seems our moods dip. We may feel more tired, less inclined to get out of the house, and for some, feelings of sadness or depressive moods can arise. There’s a number of real factors that contribute to this seasonal change in mood. Here are three of the key issues and four antidotes to be proactive against them.

Issue: Less light

As winter comes around, the days are shorter, and we get less and less sun exposure. For some of us, when we wake up in the morning it’s still dark out, and by the time we’re done work, the sun has already gone back down. Living on the west coast of Canada can also mean enduring long stretches of grey and rainy days when the sun barely shows its face. This lack of sunlight can be a major player when it comes to seasonal depression or winter blues. 

Antidote: There are a few creative ways to get light exposure even when the days are dark. Investing in a light therapy lamp can be a great place to get started and entry-level models are available on Amazon and sometimes at Costco. Use the lightbox for 25-35 minutes every morning for 1-2 weeks. If you notice an improvement, keep using it consistently to bolster your mood until spring or summer. You can set it up at your desk and multitask - eat breakfast, reply to e-mails, do your hair, or meditate. 

A recently growing trend has been “sunrise” alarm clocks. These clocks emit light to simulate a natural sunrise. The light gently increases in the morning to wake you up naturally, just as the rising sun would. And don’t worry, if you sleep through the light, there is an audible backup alarm to make sure you wake up when needed. 

Issue: Social isolation

In the warmer months, there’s a natural gravitation towards social engagements. Activities abound through the summer (think BBQ’s, festivals, birthday parties, sports events and weddings), but these usually drop off once the cooler temperatures hit.. We’re also less inclined to go out after work if it’s already dark out when we’re leaving the office. The temptation to go home and spend time with Netflix grows, and as a result, we’re spending less and less time in meaningful connection to others. 

Antidote: Plan and commit to at least one regular social activity. The social interaction can be a tremendous boost to your mood, and having it part of your weekly routine gives you something to look forward to. Choose something you can realistically commit to. If things are really hard, and just getting out of the house is a struggle, consider small steps, such as inviting a friend over to watch a movie once a week. Or ask a friend or family member to do a weekly Facetime call where you can check-in. If you’re an introvert, invite another introvert over to read a book or study alongside you. 

Social isolation tends to be a spiral: once you get into a routine of withdrawal it can be hard to get out of it. You’ll need to be proactive in your approach, and sometimes force yourself to do something even when you don’t really feel like it. In most cases, even if you don’t feel like it initially, by the time it’s over, you’ll be glad you did. For extra mood-boosting, pick activities that involve movement to benefit from exercise-induced endorphins.

Issue: Growing stressors

The winter months can be especially stressful and burdensome.  In addition to our regular stressors, there’s also impending holidays and visits with family, end of year wrap-ups for businesses, and final exams for students. Our knee jerk reaction to stressors is often to avoid, dismiss and ignore our feelings around them, but many stressful situations we can not avoid or escape. 

Antidote: Instead of resisting difficulty, practice embracing it. Don some warm clothes or invest in some rain gear and force yourself to walk outside. You’ll be uncomfortable, you’ll probably get wet, but the attitude of acceptance can really turn your mood around. 

There are lots of small but impactful ways of embracing difficulty. Try integrating a cold shower in the midst of a warm one. Change the dial over to the cold temperature - again, you know it’s going to be uncomfortable. But you also know it’s temporary. Pay attention to the sensations, noticing them instead of trying to avoid them. You’ll soon find you can adapt quite well to the colder temperatures, and it’s not as bad as you anticipated. If you need a mini version, start off by splashing your face with ice-cold water. Small exercises like this can reinforce the ideas that difficulties don’t last forever and you can handle them! In addition, researchers have found that exposing yourself to cold on a regular basis can lower your sympathetic “fight or flight” response, calming a stressed-out nervous system. 

Bonus antidote: The reality is, life can be hard and the cold and dark of winter certainly doesn’t make it any easier. Taking “self-compassion” breaks can be an essential practice in combating winter blues. 

Step 1: Recognize you are experiencing something difficult and say to yourself “This is a moment of suffering” or “Right now, I’m struggling” or simply “This hurts.” 

Step 2: Recognize that suffering is part of our common humanity and say to yourself “Other people feel this way. I’m not alone” or “Suffering is a part of life.” 

Step 3: Take a deep breath in and out, and find a way to express kindness to yourself, saying “May I be kind to myself.” Other options include: “May I forgive myself,” “May I be patient with myself,” or “May I give myself the compassion that I need.”

The winter blues are real, but fortunately, so are the ways to combat them. Putting these tools into daily practice can make a significant difference in your day to day life: try them out, and find out what works for you. Working with a counsellor can also help identify aspects that contribute to your difficulties and assist in creating an individualized plan to get you through the darker, colder months.