For those of us who experience cold winters, it can be a challenge.
Winter is freezing, icy, and gray. And it seemingly lasts forever.
So, it’s no surprise that up to 20% of US adults experience the winter blues. This non-medical term refers to the “blah” feelings and low mood we experience during wintertime.
While the winter blues typically aren’t cause for concern, we can still take steps to feel less down.
Read on to learn how.
1. Make Home Cozy
Cold winters mean more time indoors for a lot of us. Making our home cozy helps us feel more comfortable, especially if we’re feeling cooped up.
Often associated with springtime, decluttering during winter makes our house feel more inviting, and less overwhelming.
Aside from winter cleaning, we can do other things to make our home cozy, like:
- Using plush blankets, pillows, and rugs in places that we hang out
- Doing some seasonal decorating
- Using ambient lighting, like candles, string lights, or lamps
- Growing indoor plants. They provide a vibrant feel. Plus, caring for them can be very calming
- Perfecting the art of making hot drinks. Okay, this isn’t necessarily a home feature, but it doesn’t hurt!
2. Get Enough Exercise
Exercise is important year round, even if gloomy days and long, dark evenings make it less appealing. It keeps us healthy during a time when we’re usually moving less and eating more.
It’s also great for boosting mood. Exercise releases feel-good brain chemicals, increases self-confidence, and distracts us from our worries.
Adapting our exercise routine for winter may be particularly hard if we workout outside most of the year. Gym-goers may have an easier time.
However, there are plenty of ways to stay fit and never leave the house. Some require equipment, some don’t:
- High intensity interval training (HIIT)
- Bodyweight exercises
- Dumbbell-only workouts
- Yoga
- Online fitness classes (dancing, barre, Pilates, etc.)
3. Stay Social
Social connection is vital to our wellbeing. While winter can make us want to self-isolate (be it a low mood, or not wanting to go outside), it’s important to stay social.
Connecting with others helps us feel less lonely. It lowers anxiety and depression, improves our self-esteem, and helps us understand others better.
Also, it just feel nice to connect with people we care about. We can laugh, have fun, talk about deep emotions, create things together, and share affectionate touch.
If we’re unable to see our loved ones in person, we should still maintain regular contact. Phone calls, video chats, letters, playing video games online together, and mutually participating in virtual events are great ways to connect.
If we don’t have any meaningful relationships, there’s always time to make some! We can join hobby groups, volunteer, join an exercise class or sports team, deepen relationships with acquaintances, etc.
4. Take Vitamin D Supplements
Vitamin D is called the “sunshine vitamin” because the sun is our main source of it. When our skin is exposed to sunlight, it makes vitamin D. We also get it from food, in lesser amounts.
Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium and phosphorus. Both help maintain strong bones, muscles, and teeth.
In studies, it showed potential for reducing symptoms of depression, incl. seasonal affective disorder. It might also support cognition (thinking, memory, planning, etc.).
Research also suggests that vitamin D protects our immune system; it might reduce the growth of cancer cells.
Globally, one billion people are vitamin D deficient. This includes people in places with cold, long winters, who get less sunlight. Although vitamin D is stored in our body fat throughout the year, levels can become low by the end of winter.
Low vitamin D can cause bone and muscle weakness (and rickets in children). Taking supplements is the best way to prevent this. The daily recommended amount of vitamin D for people from age 9 to 69 is 600 IU. It’s 800 IU for people 70+.
There are two types of supplements available, D2 (from fungi and plant sources) and D3 (from animal sources). There’s a debate about which is best. Some experts prefer D3, as it’s the form that our body makes, and is found in most food sources.
Some foods that contain vitamin D incl:
- Salmon
- Cod liver oil
- Egg yolks
- Fortified food, like milk and cereal
- Tuna
- Beef liver
Speak to a doctor before supplementing.
Summary
Winter blues are a common experience. The season can seem like an endlessly cold, gray nightmare.
And while there’s no remedy for winter, we can make it bearable. Getting cozy, staying healthy, and connecting with others can help us cope until the spring thaw.
If winter is causing major mood changes that disrupt daily life, it might be seasonal affective disorder. Learn more.
Sources
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2013/01/beat-winter-blues
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/more-evidence-that-exercise-can-boost-mood