Winter Wellbeing Mental Health Tips
Winter can be the time of year where mental health can take a dip.
If you or someone you know is finding the winter months hard, then that is understandable. Perhaps it is the idea of Christmas or the holidays hard, or maybe it is the stress and worry of Covid.
Darker nights and a drop in temperature can affect how we feel in the winter. And whilst we cannot control the weather, Covid or Christmas, there are still things we can do to protect and boost our mental health and wellbeing.
How can winter lower your mood?
There are many mental and physical reasons why the ‘Winter Blues’ strike and mood may be low at this time of year.
Symptoms of SAD include:
Irritability
Feeling depressed and low for most of the day
Lack of interest in activities you normally enjoy
Problems sleeping
Feeling sluggish, tired or like you’ve got no energy
Difficulty concentrating
Anxiety
Changes in weight
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs during particular seasons or times of year. Depression is a low mood that lasts for a long time, and affects your everyday life. If we are not getting enough exposure to light, then symptoms such as fatigue, low energy, sadness, mood swings and depression can occur.
Scientists believe that shorter daylight hours disrupts the body’s internal circadian rhythms, your internal clock, which can lead to feelings of depression.
Less exposure to the sun and light in general, can also reduce levels of serotonin, the “good mood” neurotransmitter, leading to feeling down.
The change in season can disrupt the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, which can result in sleep disturbances that can leave you groggy and fatigued.
Even if you’re not completely in the throes of SAD, you may still feel the effects of the shorter days and the winter weather. Humans are tied to the sun, so it is hard not to feel a change when we do not have it present as much.
How can you protect and improve your mental health this winter?
Take a look at 7 possible ways to do this:
Stay connected
Loneliness and isolation can increase the effects of the winter blues. Who would you say is in your support system? This could be friends, family, co-workers, and sponsors.
Finding a way to connect and spend time with supportive people is key in boosting your mood. You could chat on the phone, have a coffee date, virtual or in real life, or take a walk outside together. The simple act of sending a text message to a friend can make a massive difference if they are having a hard time.
Staying connected may seem easy with social media and new technology, but some ways of can bring more connection than others. Try to make it a phone or video call rather than email or text, or meet up with that friend you haven't seen in a while if it’s safe to do so.
If you know someone might be lonely or on their own over the festive period, why not spend some time with them? You might find this is another way of boosting your own mood!
2. Try to stay active
The cold weather and darker nights can put many of us getting outside, but getting outdoors and exercise has been proven to reduce stress and boost mood.
Try to get outside, even if it’s only for a few minutes. You could consider an online exercise class, go out on a daily walk during your lunch break or doing the 10x10x10 plan (breaking daily exercise up into three different parts of the day)
3. Be Mindful
This time of year can be a good opportunity to connect with mindfulness, to take notice and be present. Whether you are a novice, an expert, or anywhere in between, having some mindfulness in your life can be a great way to de-stress and to train our mind to be in the present moment.
Try a body scan, a meditation or some breath work for example.
4. Boost your mood with food
Some simple additions or alterations to your diet can make a difference. Here are a few suggestions;
Having protein with all meals can enhance mood and prevent sugar and carb cravings later in the day.
Food that is high in vitamin D such as fatty fish and vitamin D fortified foods like milk, orange juice, breakfast cereal, yogurt, and other food sources can help balance mood.
Potassium rich foods such as banana, pumpkin seeds, spinach, broccoli, potatoes, and avocado can stabilize your blood pressure and reduce stress.
5. Give
Scientists have proven that an act of kindness can boost your mood and wellbeing. Giving is really a gift in itself! It can be very rewarding to donate your time to someone who would benefit from it. This could be a friend, a family member or a charity you feel passionate about for example.
6. Self Kindness
This can be a busy or a quiet time of year. If you do not have time or the energy to for example ‘give’, then work on ‘giving’ to yourself. You are a person worthy of your time and care too!
7. Seek Professional Help
If lifestyle changes and other low-level interventions do not provide enough relief from the winter blues, consider seeking professional help. Giving yourself the time and space to understand and work through your issues is a sure fire way to improve your mental health.
The NIMH says cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has proven to be very effective in treating SAD, one of the approaches used at Seed Counselling.
Please Look at the Seed Counselling Instagram or Facebook Page. We have teamed up with Sheena Rydings Psychological Therapy to create some videos on how to beat anxiety and stress at this time of year.
If you feel you would benefit from counselling, I invite you to contact us to arrange a free twenty minute consultation to see how we can help.
You don’t have to do it alone.