Tips for Managing Your Mental Health This Winter
For most of the United States, winter is truly here. For the Pacific Northwest where Satya Wellness Collective is located, this means months of dark, gloom, and rain.
The clock has changed. The temperature has dropped. The darkness falls way too early, making us feel that it’s midnight when it’s only just 6:00 pm. Whether you are a lover of winter, a sun child, or somewhere in between, we can all be affected by the changes in temperature, sunlight, and energy that winter brings. Some of you might have a harder time waking up and getting out of the warmth and comfort of your bed, some of you might pine for your favorite outdoor activities, some of you might not feel motivated to work or cook, some of you may even have Seasonal Affective Disorder or experience a spike in your symptoms of depression.
Regardless of how you feel about winter time, it is a time where you may have to be more creative and disciplined with your self-care and coping skills in order to maintain or improve your mental health. If I had one tip for you to manage your mental health this winter, it would be to be creative and consistent with your self-care and coping skills. Resist the urge to throw in the towel and wait out the winter until Spring comes for you to feel motivated and energized. Winter can be challenging, but I truly believe we can find enjoyment and life in the midst of this season.
Here are 5 tips for managing your mental health in the winter months:
Accept that winter hits differently and dole yourself out an extra serving of self-compassion. If you need encouragement in this, look around at how nature responds to the cold and dark months. The animals change their habits and the trees release their leaves and conserve their energy. Your body might need to make some changes to your activity level, food consumption, and sleep schedule and that’s OK!
Create rituals for waking and sleeping to help your “biological clock” orient itself to the daylight changes. The increased darkness might be one of the most difficult changes in winter time. You might have more difficulty getting out of bed or sleep too much to the point of feeling disoriented and groggy. Think about small steps that will encourage wakefulness and consistent rhythms. Set yourself up for success rather than pushing yourself too hard.
Try to get outside for at least a few minutes in the morning, afternoon, and evening to help to breathe in the crisp, cool air. You might even try thinking to yourself in the morning, “it’s a new day. It’s time to wake up!” Then, “I’m halfway through my day.” And finally, “it’s time to wind down and go to sleep.” It may sound silly, but we’re really trying to help your body recognize the change in daylight and stick to a sleep schedule.
Drink a glass of cold water in the mornings and warm comforting drinks at night. I know most of us are drinking more coffee, cider, and tea than water so drink up!
Sit up or stand up and breathe deep, full breaths, focusing on expanding your diaphragm and tummy as you inhale.
Try out full body stretches such as stretching your hands up to the ceiling and then folding forward and touching your toes. We’re probably sitting more often during the winter and you may have muscle tension and tightness that needs to be stretched out.
Savor the elements of winter that you do enjoy. What do you like about winter? The holidays? Cheesy hallmark movies? The crunch of fallen leaves? Soups? Sweaters and cozy socks? Rather than focusing on the things you hate about winter or miss about the milder months, allow yourself to really celebrate the things/events/meals you do enjoy. Make time in your day to savor and practice gratitude for at least one element that you enjoy so that on those dark days, you have something to hold on to.
Practice the art of not complaining. Hear me out. I am not a fan of toxic positivity and we do not need to become winter’s biggest fans here to manage our mental health. Your brain will know you’re lying if you try to think only positive thoughts anyways. What I am encouraging is accepting that the weather is terrible again today and refrain from giving it the attention it does not deserve. Talk about the new music you found today, talk about the new recipe you tried, talk about the reality show you love to hate. Experiment with this practice of not complaining and just notice how it affects your mood. It probably won’t be life changing, but it might help distract us from the ever present weather.
Cozy up your spaces. The Danish have a whole philosophy about this called Hygga (pronounced Who-ga). Google defines Hygga as, “The Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfort with feelings of wellness and contentment… it is emphasized as a core part of Danish culture.” The Danish are really showing the world how to embrace winter as “cozy weather.” Look around at your home, your office space, or wherever else you spend time these days. Is there coziness and comfort? Are you warm enough? Is the lighting pleasing or is it too harsh/too dark? Is it too quiet? Are there things you could change or add in the space to increase your comfort? You deserve to be comfortable and cozy in your space.
As with all coping skills and self-care practices, one skill/practice will not fit you and your needs every day. Or they may not fit you at all. I encourage you to practice some form of self-care and coping every day to stay on top of your mental health. Additionally, please reach out for help from a mental health provider if you feel that your symptoms are more than you can handle or more than you want to handle on your own.
Written by Caitlin Moretz, LSWAA
