How to cope with the winter blues
As the days get darker and colder, some of us may feel our mood or energy levels decrease.
You might be missing the beautiful weather and activity of summer. It’s also possible that your body clock – which usually helps to regulate your mood, sleep and appetite – can be thrown off by the decrease in sunlight. A lot of us feel this way, whether or not we experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD) which is a type of depression.
Read a free guide on managing low mood in winter from the Mental Health Foundation.
To boost your mental wellbeing during the winter months, you can:
Reframe your winter mindset
- See winter as an opportunity, rather than a threat. Just ask the people of Northern Norway, who cope with three-hour days during winter!
- Embrace hibernation. Winter could feel like a good time to start a relaxing practice like mindfulness, yoga, or taking hot baths/showers to wind down for better sleep.
- Celebrate winter. You might organise a ‘midwinter Christmas’ dinner, or a Matariki celebration with friends or whānau.
Plan a winter routine
Make a wellbeing plan, using Te Whare Tapa Whā or the Five Ways to Wellbeing models as a template. You could use these models to reflect on what lifts your wellbeing, what you’re already doing well, and what you think might need more support with during winter.
Find out more about Te Whare Tapa Whā model.
Learn about the Five Ways to Wellbeing.
Care for your holistic wellbeing
- Use a 'light therapy' lamp. If the sun is not shining outside, using a light that mimics sunlight can be just as effective for your brain. Try to spend 30 minutes in front of the lamp each day, with at least part of that time being first thing in the morning.
- Spend as much time outside as possible. Soak up what sunshine there may be! Even spending time in green spaces – like a local park – can make a positive difference to our mental wellbeing, regardless of the weather.
Read the full guide on managing low mood in winter from the Mental Health Foundation.