Wellbeing Tip of the Month | Jan 2024 | Beating The Winter Blues

Written by Stephanie Seo, MA, RCC, Counselling Services

Edited by Michelle Lim, MSW, RSW, Embedded Counsellor, Faculty of Education

 

Colder weather, dark mornings, grey skies, and wet shoes are here once again – and if this change in season makes you feel a wave of low emotions, know that you are not alone.

It is common to experience a mood shift during the colder, darker winter days, and you might feel easily fatigued, sad, and lethargic. You might also feel the need to sleep longer, lose interest in activities you used to enjoy, and have more cravings for food that is sugary and starchy! These changes we see in ourselves can be distressing and overwhelming and can impact our overall wellbeing.

Well, the good news is that the shortest day of the year (‘the winter solstice,’ December 21, 2022) has already passed! Thankfully, the days have begun to, once again, grow longer and longer.

Tips to Help Beat the Winter Blues

These “self-care” tips might help with the winter blues if you feel like you are getting into a slump after the winter break and the holiday festivities have ended.

✔️ Spend more time outdoors

  • Drink your morning coffee or tea outside (ex., deck, garden) or near an open window
  • Take a regular mid-day walk even if it is for a few minutes

✔️ Exercise regularly and increase physical activity levels

  • Stretch daily
  • Exercise between study sessions
  • Ideas for burst training at home are available here

✔️ Maintain a healthy, balanced diet and good sleep habits

  • Ideas for a healthy, balanced diet are available here
  • Ideas for good sleep habits are available here

✔️ Stay connected and in touch with friends and loved ones

  • Call on your support system
  • Take up a new hobby that you can do with others
  • Host a gathering of friends and/or family (ex., dinner party, board game night, etc.)

✔️ Increase the indoor light in your home

  • Move furniture around if necessary (ex., put your study space near a window)
  • Keep blinds and curtains open
  • Sit by a window for natural light

✔️ Light therapy

  • Sit in front of a light therapy box for 20 minutes or more per day
  • Read more about light therapy here and here
  • Read about the light therapy lamps on campus here

✔️ Be patient

  • Know that there is no single solution to “snap out of” it
  • Keep in mind that your mood will improve gradually

Is the Winter Blues the Same as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)?

Unlike the winter blues, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a clinical condition and a type of depression related to changes in the seasons ☔. SAD often is characterized by overwhelming sadness that can interfere with daily functioning and may require treatments such as medication and/or therapy.

SAD may begin at any age but typically starts between the ages of 18 and 30. Unlike the winter blues which typically affect a person’s mood during the winter months, SAD can appear in the summer months.

Here are some of the common signs and/or symptoms of SAD ✏️.

✔️ Feeling tired or fatigued all the time, causing difficulty carrying out daily tasks

✔️ Feeling sad or having a depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day

✔️ Feeling hopeless, irritable, worthless, or guilty

✔️ Problems with sleep (ex., oversleeping) and appetite (ex., increased carbohydrate cravings)

✔️ Loss of interest or pleasure in activities previously enjoyed

✔️ Withdrawal and isolation from loved ones

✔️ Reduced concentration, causing difficulty functioning at school, work or in the home

Many of these signs can also be present in other physical or mental health issues. Please talk to a health professional such as your family doctor if you resonate with some of the signs and symptoms of SAD.

Treatments for SAD

What helps with SAD? In addition to the “self-care” tips that help with the winter blues, you may discuss the medical treatment options, such as medication (ex., antidepressants) and/or counselling (ex., talk therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), with your health professional.

Where to Get Help?

If you are not sure where to start or are just curious about general mental health resources available on and off campus, please check out the resources below.

✔️ Non-urgent support

✔️ Emergency support

 

References