How to Beat the Winter Blues: A Personal Guide

Feeling the Winter Blues

I used to hate the winter season. Like I loathed it with every fiber of my being.

I hated the cold. I hated the darkness. I hated the frigid wind. And I hated being trapped indoors all day.

I just hated it.

The lack of fresh air suffocated me, but I felt too exhausted to even go outside for a walk.

When I first went to college, I read an article about the winter blues, and it was one of those aha moments for me.

I realized then that I was emotionally and physically affected by the change in seasons.

During the summer, I was high-energy, confident, happy, and excited about life. I was incredibly social, worked hard at my job, and volunteered my time.

But in the winter, I was exhausted, had low self-esteem, felt sad, and felt like I had nothing to look forward to. In turn, I mostly stayed at home, and I used up all of my energy just getting the basic tasks done each day.

My life seemed like one long, dark, boring day that never ended.

I felt like I literally woke up in the dark, went to my classes in the dark, saw a sliver of sun on my way to work, and then went home in the dark just in time to go to bed.

And there was nothing I could do about it. I live in the Midwest where winter seems to drag on for a very long time.

So I felt destined to get the winter blues year every year, and that left me feeling hopeless.

What Are the Winter Blues

So what exactly are the winter blues?

The winter blues are feelings of unhappiness experienced as a result of the cold, dark months of late fall and winter.

According to the AAFP, about 4 to 6% of people get winter depression with another 10 to 20% getting mild winter depression. Other facts about winter depression include:

• It may be related to the changes in daylight that people get
• It typically begins after the age of 20
• Your chances go down as you age
• It’s more common in Northern locations
• Some people even experience it in the summer months

Another term for the winter blues (which is often used interchangeably) is the condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

According to Psychology Today, SAD is ‘is a type of recurrent major depressive disorder in which episodes of depression occur during the same season each year.’ Other facts about SAD include:

• SAD affects approximately 10 million Americans
• It typically affects people ages 18 to 30
• It’s 4x more common in women than men
• Some people experience symptoms that affect their quality of life
• Symptoms tend to recur at the same time each year

For me, the winter blues tended to be more general exhaustion and unhappiness rather than being a deep depression.

But of course, the winter blues affect everyone differently. So it’s really important to speak with your doctor if you suspect you may be experiencing symptoms of the winter blues.

Winter Blues Symptoms

Here are some of the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder according to the Mayo Clinic:

• Feeling depressed most of the day
• Losing interest in your favorite activities
• Low energy
• Sleeping problems
• Changes in appetite
• Weight changes
• Feeling sluggish
• Agitation
• Feeling hopeless, worthless, or guilty
• Thoughts of death or suicide

When I was experiencing the winter blues, I was able to check off many of these symptoms in my head.

So if you realize that you also feel this way during certain times of the year, you may be affected by the change in seasons like I was. The only way to know for sure is to speak with a professional.

And remember, if you are in fact affected by SAD, it doesn’t mean that you’re destined to be miserable every single year once the winter season hits.

There are many ways to combat the winter blues and feel great all year long.

Once I learned to dutifully implement these strategies, I stopped feeling so down and out every time the days became shorter and colder.

I most definitely feel down some days in the winter, but now it’s the exception rather than my normal experience.

How to Beat the Winter Blues

Here are 30 strategies you can try to help you beat the winter blues:

1. Stay hydrated
2. Exercise regularly
3. Eat healthy
4. Get out in the sunshine and fresh air
5. Become involved in outdoor activities
6. Enjoy intimacy either alone or with your partner
7. Plan a getaway
8. Visit with family and friends
9. Listen to music that speaks to your soul
10. Read a book you can’t put down
11. Watch a great movie
12. Keep learning. Read, listen to podcasts, and watch TED talks.
13. Get a massage
14. Try light therapy
15. Meditate
16. Journal
17. Try acupuncture
18. Take Vitamin D
19. Create a peaceful, comfortable room in your house for ultimate relaxation
20. Light candles or fill a diffuser with a scent you love
21. Cuddle with someone you love
22. Play with children or hang out with the teenagers in your life
23. Create art or make crafts
24. Put a puzzle together
25. Play games
26. Speak with a therapist
27. Discuss your options with your doctor
28. Treat yourself to something special
29. Volunteer your time. Giving back to others fills you back up too.
30. Care for animals.

Many of these ideas are not official ways to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder, but I’ve found that they’ve worked for me personally and for close family and friends.

What they all have in common is that they’re all forms of self-care.

Remember, taking care of your own needs is not selfish. You deserve to be healthy, happy, and whole.

The thing is, the more I discovered what the most important needs are for me, the better I could care for myself and avoid feeling depleted.

I know now that fresh air and exercise are a vital part of keeping my happiness level up.

If I take a hike on a wooded trail during the day no matter how tired I think I feel at the time, I will feel the benefits of that hike for days afterward.

I know now that if I sit down and give my full attention to my children and pets and just enjoy playing with them in the moment with no other distractions, my spirits will be lifted for days afterward.

And I now know that if I’m intentional about drinking plenty of filtered water and eating whole foods, my physical health will be optimized for days afterward.

Figure out what your most important needs are and then make sure you meet them.

This is important all year long, but especially if you feel down and out during certain seasons.

And speak to your doctor about your concerns. He or she is there to make sure that you are at your healthiest level mentally, physically, and emotionally.

You deserve to feel whole and to live your best life. Don’t settle for anything less.

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What can you do to feel better during the winter months? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.