Self-Care for When You’re Feeling the Winter Blues
Just a Season, or Something More?
We’re in West Michigan. And with the months-long cold season, sad feelings can feel almost inevitable. The cloudy days and cold temperatures make it difficult to keep up with healthy habits and routines, such as outdoor activities, exercise, and seeing friends. And it’s no secret that a dip in Vitamin D levels can negatively impact mood.
If you find yourself struggling with seasonal depression and another gray Michigan winter, never fear. Overcoming the winter slump isn’t impossible—it just requires a little time, effort, and introspection.
The Difference Between Seasonal Affective Disorder and Winter Sadness
What many people don’t realize is that Seasonal Affective Disorder (aptly known as SAD) is an actual disorder. This means it requires meeting certain diagnostic criteria in order to be diagnosed. However, because winter in Michigan can be so difficult, many people assume they have SAD, and there’s nothing they can do about their symptoms. But for many people, the truth is much more hopeful. Being out of your routine, moving less, and disconnected from friends can cause significant mental hardship that resembles SAD, but is much easier to address with lifestyle changes.
Whether you have been diagnosed with SAD or deal with annual depressive feelings, both situations are absolutely valid. In both cases, there are steps you can take to prioritize your health and improve your outlook when winter rolls around—and it starts with looking inward.
Combatting Winter Bad Moods Starts with Self Care
What we at Brave see all the time are smart and kind people who are struggling with negative emotions because they are out of their summer, feel-good routine. The key to beating the winter blues is staying in that routine as much as possible by knowing what you need to thrive and doing those activities as much as you can. Sometimes, that requires creative modifications.
Let’s say you really enjoy mountain biking with friends. A 40-mile ride to a campout in August is a nice way to spend a Saturday. In February, not so much. But that doesn’t mean you can’t prioritize riding your bike in the winter! Setting up a bike trainer so you can cycle indoors is a great way to get exercise and have fun. Similarly, you might explore biking on an indoor track, cycling classes, or getting a bike with bigger tires so you can ride outside in the snow. It might not be the same thing as a warm summer ride, but it’s often enough to keep dark emotions at bay. Plus, you might discover you really enjoy riding in the snow.
This advice doesn’t exactly sound like the typical rhetoric around self-care, a term that gets tossed around a lot. Self-care has less to do with bath bombs and cucumber slices on your eyes, and more to do with understanding your mind, body, and how you function. Once you know what you need, you can make it a priority.
And, if you do like taking a bath with cucumbers on your eyes—go for it! If you don’t, there is no pressure to become a bath person in the name of self-care. For many people, trying something new isn’t always helpful. So why fight it? Lean into the activities you already love.
If You’re Struggling, Rely on Your Network for Support
Introspection doesn’t always come easy. If you’re struggling, we suggest you talk it out: with your friends, people close to you, or a therapist. Sometimes, the people closest to us can see things we can’t—especially if you’re having a hard time mentally. Everyone deserves to feel good in their own brains, and there are plenty of people who can love and support you along the way.
This Winter, Be Brave
If this article resonated with you, and you’d like to explore winter self-care options with a licensed therapist, we’d love to chat with you! All you need to do is click the button below to get started.
