How to Overcome the Winter Blues

The below article was written for my healthy living column years ago and it was eventually was taken down when the Examiner shut down. Since then, I have updated the article for my blog and I'm posting it today, February 6th, 2022. I hope it resonates with you and gifts inspiration and hope. 

Winter’s dark and cold weather can be tough to cope with at times. The scaled-down hours of sunlight can cause feelings of lethargy and press against thoughts of productivity. The discomfort from cold weather outside and the emotional distress we carry can create barricades, leaving us confined inside and feeling isolated. These winter blues encompass feelings of frustration, disappointment, lack of motivation, sadness, and guilt or shame; all of which take away from the routine of healthy habits. 

What can be done to offset such feelings? Not everyone can fly somewhere warm for a few months to escape and for those of us who can't, it is essential to focus on and find silver linings. What about the breathtaking glistening scenes outside your window? Have you stopped to appreciate the view? Maybe it is time to awaken your inner child, embrace the season instead of avoiding it and bundle up to build a snowman, have a snowball fight or enjoy a sled ride or brisk walk and embrace feeling the vibrant air. What about a drive through the snowy landscape? If you are anxious about the driving conditions, try to schedule outings around the weather, carpool, or schedule a Lift to step out of your bubble and help counter any driving anxieties.  

What about incorporating the weather into a new exercise routine? Perhaps, you can try to cross country ski or if you're not able to embrace your adventurous spirit, spend some time shoveling snow to help offset and balance your diet. I shoveled the driveway today and it was a good cardio activity. Turn your time of solitude into time for healthy self-indulgence; take warm baths, give yourself a facial, pedicure, or cozy up to a romantic fire with a chai tea or hot chocolate along with the company of a good book.

Be creative and keep your mind active; meditate, read, listen to music or find a comedy to uplift your spirit. Catch up on your sleep because it is critical to your mental and physical health. According to the Ezine article, How Long Should We Sleep, adults should be sleeping 6 to 9 hours per night; use this time to shut down and rejuvenate. The bears understand winter and hibernate for self-nurture, what amazing creatures; they know how to be healthy during the winter months!

As a mental health therapist, I realize the importance of being conscientious of our feelings and also the need to be receptive to change unhealthy patterns that can easily become active without us realizing it. We have to push through feelings to implement the changes necessary to overcome the winter blues; this might mean pushing yourself to pick one task a day that you can do differently than you did the day before like choosing to get up and shower if you didn't yesterday. If you have been open to change but your attempts to counter the negative feelings continue to be unsuccessful, contact your doctor to make sure you are not suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). If so, this can be controlled through medicine and therapy. There are many online sources you can visit like the MayoClinic to find more information about SAD and learn helpful ideas about how to counter its effect. 

It just takes a subtle shift to change an unhealthy habit into a healthier trend. I believe that you can motivate yourself to implement healthier change. So, with the close of this article, take a deep breath and make a commitment to yourself by picking what task you will do differently starting now to create healthy movement forward; take it one baby step at a time, my friend.

As I'm signing off, I'm sending you light and love. Know that you are in my heart and that we can get healthier together, one second, minute, hour, day, week, month, and year at a time! I have faith in the both of us💞

Warmly,

Kathy