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The downturn in mood around when Daylight Savings Time ends in early November is like clockwork for many of us. Suddenly, the sun rises after you wake and sets before you leave the office. The wind hurts your face. You seem to be perpetually sick. You feel cold even in your house. Your skin is dry. No one organizes get togethers after the holidays. And simple errands that require going outside feel impossible. There’s a term for this change in mood: seasonal depression, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD). But is there a way to fight seasonal depression in winter? And beyond that, is it possible to even enjoy the season?
I’ve read and watched a lot of content on this topic over the years, because I have always hated winter. I grew up in a tropical climate but spent all my adult years in cold ones. And I never seemed to get better at handling it. That is, until I implemented the changes below. Out of all the advice I’ve seen, these are the life adjustments that actually made me enjoy winter. I’m sharing here because I hope they’re as life-changing for others as well.
First, Adjust Your Mindset
In theory, I like things associated with winter. I’m introverted and enjoy quiet time at home. Getting cozy in an armchair and reading with a warm drink sounds lovely. So why did I hate winter?
I realized it’s not winter that I hate. It’s my culture’s response to winter. In my large U.S. city, that response is…nothing. Everyone just pushes forward with their usual activities like the entire world hasn’t changed. We wake up at the same time as we did in July. But now it’s dark and freezing as we make our way through snow for school drop-offs and work commutes. We wear the same clothes with a jacket thrown over and sit in offices with bright fluorescent lights for the same hours. By the time we head home, the sun has disappeared again. Then the same grind – commute, kids’ extracurriculars, cook something quick, watch TV, and bed late.
It’s no wonder we feel seasonal depression in winter! We have the hubris to think we can ignore nature and plow ahead with our goals. In my city, it’s common to see someone jogging in shorts through a snowstorm. To me, that’s symbolic of our whole approach to winter.
That’s why your first move is to shift your attitude. Winter is not about hustling and getting things done. It’s a time for a slower pace and for nurturing yourself. It’s the best time for introspection and contemplation – something my American culture doesn’t value because it’s not productive. But if we don’t introspect, how do we know what we’re producing is valuable?
Before reading the rest of the tips, think about how you can change your attitude toward winter. You can’t change the culture around you, but can you adjust your own expectations to better adapt?
1. Change Your Goals for the Season
Building on the attitude change described above, consciously adjust your expectations for the winter. It’s not going to be as productive as the spring, summer, or fall. Now is not the time to start a new exercise regimen, do a juice cleanse, or renovate your home. Instead, focus on goals that involve introspection (journaling, dreamwork, therapy), learning (studying, reading), crafting or creative hobbies (knitting, painting, cooking) and connection with others.
Winter is a confusing time where I live, because we celebrate the new year on January 1st. One of the coldest and darkest dates of the year. And then we make resolutions and go into high gear, pushing ourselves to meet them for that whole freezing, dark month. I always felt a sense of dissonance about this but couldn’t put my finger on why until I learned about seasonal living.
I do love to set goals at the start of a new year – and I’ll post about that soon. But I’ve learned it’s important to take seasons into account when planning the timing of those goals.
2. Prioritize Getting Sunlight
This is one of the more well-known tips for fighting seasonal depression in winter. One of the reasons our mood declines in the winter months is because there’s less sunlight. And it’s not uncommon to miss the sun entirely for days at a time, based on your work schedule.
If you work indoors, you can’t always control how much sunlight you get in winter. But think about how you can take control to prioritize this for yourself. If a day is sunny, be intentional about taking your lunch break and going for a walk. You may not want to go outside because it’s so cold. But bundle up and appreciate the sunlight while you can.
If most winter days are gray where you live, you can also use a sunlight therapy lamp to mimic the sunlight you need. There’s a lot of evidence that it’s effective. But there’s also evidence that outdoor time can boost your mood even on cloudy days.
3. Sleep More
In some sources I’ve read about seasonal depression in winter, sleeping more is named as a potential symptom of depression. And that may be true if you find yourself sleeping instead of doing things you enjoy. But I’ve found that intentionally prioritizing sleep during the winter months makes me feel much better.
Grinding during the winter like you might in the summer – with early morning workouts and extra work crammed into the evening – is exhausting. Our bodies simply don’t have the same energy in the winter.
Interestingly, all the articles I found when researching this topic approach “winter fatigue” as a problem to battle. Many even advise using caffeine to artificially boost your energy. It’s not surprising that sources written in English – many from the US – would take this perspective. Americans hate accepting limitations.
As an alternative, consider that your body requires some TLC in the winter, not more pushing. Maybe it’s natural that we aren’t as active during the coldest and darkest months of the year. We can embrace it instead of fighting it.
When winter hits, I notice my dog and cat spend more time snoozing in the warmest room in the house. They do the same on rainy days, regardless of the season. That’s because they’re more in tune with their bodies’ natural rhythms than we are.
When the sun sets at 5 PM, it feels natural to go to bed earlier. Listen to that impulse and get sufficient rest. Everything feels easier when you’re well rested. That’s great advice the rest of the year as well, but it’s especially important during the energy slump of winter.
4. Change Your Daily Habits to Maximize Warmth
This may be obvious to those who grew up in cold climates. But I’m including it here in case there are others like me who didn’t grow up this way and brought their old habits into a new climate.
A typical winter morning for me as a remote worker included showering and leaving my hair wet, drinking a glass of ice-cold water from the fridge, making myself my usual smoothie with frozen ingredients and sitting at my desk barefoot in a t-shirt and leggings to start work. Maybe even picking up an iced coffee while I walked my dog at lunchtime. Then wondering why I couldn’t make my house warm!
Dressing in warm layers made a huge difference for me. And you need to do this even in your own house. That means warm fuzzy socks, fleece sweatpants, and sweaters.
Also, choose warm food and drinks. If you normally drink cold water and eat raw foods, shift things up when the weather changes. Drink warm water, eat soup for lunch instead of a salad – that kind of thing. (In fact, even smoothies can be made warm!)
5. Take Extra Care of Your Skin
I know I’ve said before that your skincare routine is wasting your time. And I stand by that. But in the winter, you probably do need some extra moisturizing. Now, do you need separate moisturizers for your face, eyes, neck, hands, cuticles, body, and feet? That’s where I’d argue marketing has gotten out of hand. One product for your face and one for the rest of your body should get you through the winter. Along with a good lip balm. You’d be surprised how much of your seasonal depression in winter stems from just feeling uncomfortable – cold and dry. Taking small steps to make yourself more comfortable will make a huge difference.
6. Use Soft Lighting
This is one Scandinavian tip I saw that took me by surprise. I had never thought much about the lighting in my home. If anything, conventional advice about seasonal depression in winter suggests turning on bright lights to counter the lack of sun.
But when I started lighting candles and using lamps instead of overhead lights, I saw a real change in my mood. Everything felt cozier, calmer. Suddenly the snow and wind outside seemed quaint and pleasant rather than harsh and unforgiving. And it helped me with one of the tips above – which is getting more sleep in the winter. It’s much easier to transition to bedtime when the lights have been low for a couple of hours beforehand.
I especially love to use scented candles at this time of year. There are certain scents – Frasier fir, cinnamon, and clove – that just feel cozy and boost my mood in winter.
(But keep in mind that certain candles can be harmful to you and your pets. Look for clean-burning candles that use plant-based waxes and avoid oils that can be toxic for pets.)
7. Invite People Over
This is one of the tips I’ve seen attributed to Nordic culture. It’s normal to feel more tired in winter, and we aren’t as motivated to go out when our environment is so harsh. But lack of social connections is one of the reasons for seasonal depression in winter. Set up get togethers but do it the Nordic way – invite people to your home for casual meetups. Make hot beverages and play board games. Do cozy, warming activities, but with your friends and loved ones.
8. Take Extra Steps to Avoid Getting Sick
One of the worst parts of winter, especially if you have a small child in school, is the entire family getting sick several times during the season. Even if it’s nothing major, it’s not uncommon to have a runny nose and a low-level cough for weeks of winter. It’s one of the reasons I used to despise the season.
But you can avoid this if you’re willing to change your behavior for the season. Wash your hands and use hand sanitizer often (this is where the lotion I mentioned above is going to be important), drink lots of water, get enough sleep, and avoid touching your face. Even learn from our pandemic habits and wear a mask if you’re going to a crowded, indoor space.
If you do feel yourself coming down with something, take a sick day, take a zinc supplement, and rest. Focus on beating the illness instead of pushing yourself to complete your usual routine. Trying to power through can leave you with a low-grade illness for weeks, which is miserable.
You don’t have to be neurotic about it, but paying attention to protecting your health and boosting your immune system will go a long way to helping you enjoy winter.
9. Create Slow Mornings
This was such a game-changer for me. Even if we can’t change things like school and work schedules, we can carve out time for ourselves to introspect and get ready for the day. I felt so much more positive about winter when I started getting up early and using some time alone in the peaceful dark to write, bake bread, do yoga, meditate, or just think.
You might say, “That’d be nice, but there’s no way it’s possible for me. My kids wake up at 6!” Well, going to bed at 9 and waking up at 5 is an option. You may not have ever had that schedule, but you could start! In fact, winter is a great time to do it because it gets dark so early, you’ll feel tired earlier in the evening.
I know night owls will scoff at this advice, because I was one for most of my life. That’s totally fair. But I promise it’s worth a try because it truly turned winter around for me.
10. Take Extra Care of Yourself
Recognize that winter is a harsh season. Just surviving is challenging in itself. Instead of driving yourself to keep the routines you have the other 75% of the year, give yourself a little break. Take baths, read for pleasure instead of for learning, eat foods you really enjoy, and take naps.
Go easy on yourself. Once spring hits, you can use the natural energy boost of more sun and warmth to regain your motivation and drive. And remember that outer goals are not the only ones that matter. Introspection and information gathering are equally important, and necessary prerequisites to implement any other goal.
Want to Go Deeper?
If you want to learn more about this topic, these books are great resources. Both are full of advice from people living through some of the coldest and darkest winters on earth.
How to Winter by Kari Leibowitz
The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking
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