5 Mental Health Boosters to Combat Winter Sadness

Winter sadness (or “seasonal affective disorder”) is a common phenomenon where people feel more depressed and unmotivated during winter months of the year.

Depending on where you live, winter often means your days are getting darker, colder, and shorter. These factors have been shown to have significant effects on your mental health and well-being.

Many people may feel the effects of winter without realizing it. We like to believe our environment doesn’t have a big impact on us, but it can often influence us in subtle ways we aren’t aware of.

Think about it: Do you often feel more depressed, tired, anxious, or stressed during winter months of the year?

If not, that’s great. If yes, then you may be experiencing a type of seasonal affective disorder. That’s something to be mindful of every time we reach this part of the year.

Winter can throw your whole routine and schedule off balance – including sleep, eating, and exercise – so it’s important to readjust yourself and adapt to the new season.

Interestingly, one study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that mental health searches on Google tend to increase during winter months and decrease during summer months, indicating that mental health issues in general can often fluctuate with the seasons.

Common symptoms of “seasonal affective disorder” include:

• Feeling sluggish and low energy
• Having problems with sleep (too much or too little)
• Increased stress and anxiety
• Abrupt changes in diet and eating habits
• Losing interest in activities you usually enjoy
• Lack of focus and motivation
• Increased loneliness and social withdrawal

If you find yourself exhibiting some of these symptoms during the winter months, consider these “mental health boosters” to keep yourself healthy and balanced during this time of the year.

Sit in the sun more (when you get the chance)

During the winter months we often have less hours of sun, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take advantage of it while it’s up.

With less natural light during the winter, it’s that much more important that you get your “daily dose of sun” when you have the chance – even just 10-15 minutes sitting outside, or sunbathing through a window, can provide a boost to your physical and mental health.

Natural light plays an important role in regulating your sleep, metabolism, and energy levels.

One of the best things you can do when you first wake up is spend a few minutes in the sun to jumpstart your body and set your circadian rhythm in motion.

Between the afternoon hours of 12pm-2pm are also a great time to catch some rays since that’s when the sun is usually strongest. Just a few minutes of bright natural lighting is enough to provide your body with healthy amounts of Vitamin D.

While you’re outside you can also use this time to enjoy some everyday nature, even if it’s just watching squirrels run around, appreciating nearby plants and trees, or listening to birds sing.

It’s easier and more enjoyable to spend time outside during the summer rather than the winter, but scheduling time to sit in the sun during these months can be really important in overcoming winter sadness.

If sitting outside is too cold or unreasonable, consider just sitting near a window while the sun pours in. Any type of natural light is welcome during this time of year. (Although the quick jolt of cold fresh air might be nice too).

For those that really have trouble getting their “sun fix,” consider a Vitamin D supplement to make sure your levels don’t run too low. You might also want to consider a light therapy lamp (which we will get into more later).

Stay moving during the day

During the winter months we tend to become less physically active, because we’re less likely to go outside, play sports, exercise, or leave our homes in general – and this contributes to an overall lack of motivation

Lack of motivation can often become a vicious feedback loop. We don’t do anything because we don’t want to do anything, because we feel bad for not doing anything..so we don’t do anything.

Motivation is like physics: an object at rest remains at rest unless acted on by an outside force. It takes a lot to overcome inertia and start building momentum, especially during the winter.

When it comes to “seasonal affective disorder,” any type of exercise is better than no exercise at all.

Psychology research shows that physical exercise plays an important role in mental health and well-being, and some studies even suggest it can help reduce symptoms of major depressive disorder.

You may need to find new and small ways to keep yourself more active during the winter: walking around more inside, doing push-ups and jumping jacks, or doing Yoga or mindful stretching every morning.

It’s important to keep your body moving throughout the day.

Try to cultivate an “everything counts” mindset, even doing something as simple as standing up once per hour and walking around for 5–10 minutes can have significant benefits on our physical and mental health.

Many health experts agree we sit way too much time during our waking hours and don’t get enough exercise, this is especially true during the winter months when we have less incentive to get up and go outside.

Find easy and convenient ways you can keep your body active and awake.

Get your social dose

One common tendency during winter sadness is to isolate ourselves from people and not socialize as much.

While it’s true that introverts and extraverts differ in the quantity of socializing they need or desire, research shows that everyone needs some level of socialization to be happy and satisfied with their lives. Take the introversion vs. extraversion quiz to find out how big of a “social dose” you need.

A recent study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology discovered that individuals – including both extraverts and introverts – reported greater positive emotion when they were socializing with others.

Winter sadness can sometimes put us in a “hibernation” mode when it comes to socializing. It’s too easy to just want to sit inside, drink hot cocoa, and watch movies – so it’s important to be more active in scheduling time to spend with others.

We may not have as many opportunities to socialize in the winter rather than the summer, but there are things you can do to make sure you’re getting your social fix: join an indoor sports league, go out to bars or restaurants with friends, or volunteer at a non-profit organization.

Remember that even tiny “10 second” relationships — such as a simple greeting to your neighbor, or a compliment to a stranger, or a friendly conversation with a cashier — can have significant benefits on our well-being and feelings of social connectedness.

You also have the option to connect with people through Zoom, Facetime and other forms of video chat. While these can’t replace real world interactions, they can be a valuable way to get your needed social dose – and stay connected with old friends and family if you don’t want to go anywhere.

And last but not least, don’t forget that “pets are people” too. Psychology research continues to show that pets help with loneliness, so don’t underestimate spending a little extra time with your dog or cat if you need that extra boost.

Maintain a healthy sleep schedule

Winters can throw our entire sleep cycles out of whack.

It’s common among those with seasonal affective disorder to be more tired and want to sleep more, which is caused by the fact that the nights are longer and it gets darker earlier.

Both “over-sleeping” and “under-sleeping” can be unhealthy. Sleep is a good thing, but too much of it can make us more drowsy. Try to sleep within the range of 6-10 hours per day.

There are a few exceptions to this rule when it comes to people with unusual sleep patterns, but for the most part following the “6-10 hours of sleep” guideline can make a world of difference to your mental health.

Set a timer for an hour before you want to go to bed. Start a “nighttime ritual” so that you can wind down and begin to turn your brain off, including turning off any electronics and dimming the lights.

Also remember: You can’t “catch up” on lost sleep. Try to avoid the habit of staying up super late on weekend nights and thinking you can just “sleep in” the rest of the next day. This will throw your schedule off.

Consistency is important for a healthy sleep schedule. You should get to a point where your body naturally “falls asleep” and “wakes up” around the same times every day.

With the changes in sunlight during the winter – and the disruption of Daylight Savings Time – it will likely take a couple days to readjust to your sleep schedule, even among healthy people.

For those with winter sadness, it’s that much more important to pay attention to your sleep patterns. Make note of these 7 simple principles behind a good night’s sleep and see if you can make any changes that will help.

Get a “light therapy” lamp

One of the most recommended treatments for those with seasonal affective disorder is “light therapy.”

The basic idea is to use a special kind of light that mimics sunlight to help produce melatonin in the body, which is an important hormone for regulating the circadian rhythm and other biological functions (including sleep).

Light therapy is especially useful if you live in a place where there are big changes in “light” to “dark” hours during the winter, and it becomes nearly impossible to get natural sunlight.

Our bodies have evolved to rely on the sun to signal different times of day, so when there are big changes in daily light intake it can throw your whole biology out-of-whack.

One interesting example of this is depicted in the movie Insomnia by Christopher Nolan. The movie takes place in a part of Alaska during a season when there is “perpetual daylight,” making it difficult for the protagonist to ever fall asleep due to the constant presence of the sun.

The daily cycle of light-dark plays an important role in regulating our biology. Experts recommend starting your morning with 30-45 minutes in front of a light therapy lamp.

It’s easy to find affordable “light therapy” lamps at most major retailers, including on Amazon. The standard strength is measured as 10,000 lux (the scientific unit for illumination), but you should do a little of your own research before buying anything.

Light therapy is definitely a valuable option, especially for those who are hit hardest by seasonal affective disorder.

Conclusion

For most people, winter sadness isn’t too much of a problem, it’s just something to be aware of.

However, if you find yourself feeling much worse during the winter months, consider trying out these suggestions to help combat your winter sadness and give your mood a much-needed boost. Don’t forget all the other mental tools you have at your disposal throughout the year too.

Keeping your body and mind healthy should always be a top priority during all seasons.

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